


Ghosts of Tomorrow

by idekitsstrash



Category: Naruto
Genre: Adolescent anguish, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, Attempt at Humor, F/M, Family, Female Uzumaki Naruto, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:22:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 30,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27958337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idekitsstrash/pseuds/idekitsstrash
Summary: He’d seen it once with Shisui and.....“Promise me, promise me we’ll always be together.”.“Always.”.So Sasuke supposes he could indulge himself, just this once.—Summary inspired by @Blacknaruto
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 77
Kudos: 332





	1. A Reflection Of Calamity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke takes a trip down memory lane and wishes he could change everything as he lays dying on the battlefield.

Till the age of eight, he had known the comfort and love of a family. How it felt to have an unreasonable amount of unconditional love for those you treasured dearly, never seeing their faults for they were nothing but perfection in your eyes and could never do or go wrong.

He had been innocent, free of any burdens, never knowing what hatred was, protected from the horror that consumed their world, until it came crushing down.

Everything he supposedly thought he knew had been nothing but mere illusions cast by an adolescent full of anguish, pain and suffering. One that had suffered at the hands of their village, forced to choose between Family and village, and had done everything to protect him, but he hadn’t known that at that time.

Consumed in his hatred for his dear beloved brother after the Massacre, he had shed the last of his innocence. Rebuked the offer of friendship from the one person who understood him more than anyone else could ever, severing their bond despite the hollow feeling that festered within his mind and heart at doing so.

Naruto had been the first individual that he had bonded with after that heart stopping night. And even more so after being placed in the same team, were they had saved each other’s life constantly, a ritual of sorts when sent out on missions. A red thread of fate connecting them both to each other, strengthening a bond forged over pain, loss and suffering.

But alas, he had turned traitor, snapping their bond, trying and failing to kill her —much to his relief. He had then sought out Orochimaru, later killing the man who bestowed him with power to kill Itachi- and all the while Naruto chasing him down. Refusing to destroy the bond they had both forged during their adolescent years.

And after the death of his brother, it lead to the revelation of the manipulation and ploys that lay hidden and in play in the deepest pits of Konoha. One in which his brother had been weaved into, forcing Itachi to plan the rest of his life out after the Massacre, on his own accord, protecting him from the shadows in the process. _Always him._

And instead of fulfilling his brothers dream, he had done the opposite, destroying everything his Martyr of a brother worked so hard to achieve.

Weeks later after killing Danzo, he had a bump in with a reanimated Itachi and heart wrenching words had been exchanged between the two brothers.

_“You don't ever have to forgive me and whatever you do from here on out, know this, no matter what, I will love you always.”_

His already fragile mind had cracked further into dust at those words, leaving him an emotional wreck in the centre of the battlefield, and as he reminisced everything and realised were each and every action he had taken had led him to— on his deathbed, repaying with his life for a war he helped create— he wonders how things could have turned out differently if Itachi didn’t try being a hero of convenience, if he hadn’t turned traitor and instead followed in his brothers footstep, if Danzo wasn’t so power obsessed and mad with eradicating his clan, if leaders didn’t turn a blind eye to the manipulations weaved in their own village.

And if none of that had happened, he hadn’t have to deny the bond between him and Naruto. It had been unbreakable no matter what he had done. She was his other half— he her moon, and she his sun—both revolving around each other. And she had burned so bright, blinding even, that at times it would dull out the anguished screams of his clansmen and women as they were slaughtered, and Itachi’s parting words to him.

In his years as a missing nin, and later as an international war criminal, the thought of her chasing him down had kept him grounded in some twisted, morbid way because knowing that Naruto would follow him to the ends of the Earth— just to have him by her side— had thrilled him, kept him grounded and somewhat sane as plans of waging war on Konoha was put in motion.

He had used and abused her affection towards him and she had always been so free in it giving it to him, telling him he deserved it. She was bright and loud in her acknowledgment of him, whilst he was the opposite— never acknowledging her in public and only doing so in the comfort of his mind— and as the years passed, all feeling he had kept under lock and key for her, had exploded in a torrent, ready to tear him apart. 

Naruto had become so much to him in his years as a missing nin, but what good would it do for him to reminisce memories of the past and feelings he had no right to confess, when he could not change a single thing for he would be taking it to his very grave?

He had destroyed everything his brother, cousin Shisui and Naruto had all fought for, because he believed Konoha deserved to burn to the ground for what they had made Itachi go through. And Sasuke could mostly certainly have gone around it with a different approach, but instead, he had teamed up with his deranged cousin Obito and the reanimated Madara to wage war on Konoha and the four other villages, in his misguided ways of bringing justice to Itachi’s name.

And still, on his dying breath, Sasuke believes Itachi deserved retribution for all his loss, but what was done could not be undone. And all Sasuke could take with him to the afterlife were the blood of innocents he had taken brutally, his never ending sins, his failure and destruction alike that he left in his moments of a missing nin and an international war criminal.

He supposes it’s a fitting end for a man like him. _Born in war and to end in war._

At least now, he can be reunited with Itachi and look over Naruto from above if she survives the mess he has created. He sincerely hopes so for he doesn’t wish her to fail because of his mistakes.

****  
  
  


As far as he knew, being in the afterworld entitled to not feeling any sort of pain or discomfort. All human feelings and necessities would end, but here he was, in agonising, brutal pain. His ribs ached with each breath he took, it felt as though it would be his last, despite supposedly being dead.

The pain was so overwhelmingly familiar to when he had been smacked into oblivion as the jubi was ripped from him.

Sasuke hadn’t thought he would feel such intense pain once again but he had clearly overestimated his luck. But it didn’t distract him from the soft linen touch of the bed underneath him, it’s feeling so similar to the childhood one he had and Sasuke can’t help but feel himself relax his limb and succumb to the beauty that was sleep.

  
****  
  


The next time he wakes up he’s aware that he’s _breathing_ and very much _alive_. He wasn’t supposed to be feel anything or be able to see, let alone breath. He supposed to be dead, _a dead man walking with nothing but his rotting corpse in the battlefield._ He was either meant to go hell and atone for his sins or simply be reunited with his long gone family.

Him breathing and being very much alive wasn’t supposed to happen, _wasn’t part of his nonexistent plan_ , unless his whimsical wishful thinking on his dying breath had somehow come to fruition.

Scoffing internally, he brings his trembling arms to his face, but before it can fully connect, Sasuke realises they are a tad too small, and a tad to chubby, _a child’s hand,_ and he frowns before looking down and examining the rest of his body. 

His legs are smaller than what they should have been and his clothing is a pair from his childhood, not the one he had worn during the war, and Sasuke’s frown deepens. He takes in a shaky breath, shaking his head in hopes of clearing his mind.

Was this what the afterlife was? Did it perhaps bend to your will, creating an illusion of a life long wished? Much like the infinite tsukuyomi. 

If so, it would have simply been better to be trapped in the infinite tsukuyomi instead of truly dying and living a life he knew was indefinitely a fake reality. A life which was nothing more than a dying mans dream in hopes of bettering himself, stopping the destruction of the Element Nation and atoning for his mistakes.

There’s only one thing to do, and Sasuke ~~hopes~~ , wishes, that he isn’t caught in a tether, being pushed to and fro, and is instead back in his childhood body. A chance to right his wrongs. A chance to save them all, _to save Itachi, to save Naruto._

Standing on trembling legs, he takes a deep breath, breezes through the hand signs of the Great Fireball Justu and feels the scorching of his skin, a pain filled cry leaves his lips as his legs surrender to his weight and darkness takes over.

****  
  


He’s already cleared his doubts that he isn’t dead. But it’s seeing an alive Itachi, with an equally alive Shisui that has his Sharingan flaring up. His words lodged in his throat, heart pounding furiously as tears prickle at the back of his eyes.

A very much alive Itachi is too much to handle for his already fragile mind. He had thought he had come to terms with reconciling with his brother on his death bed, believing they would meet somewhere in the afterlife.

But this was not the afterlife and nor was he dead. _He was very much alive and so was Itachi.  
_

He didn’t think much of his next actions, blaming it on the fracturing of his mind, the series of emotions that had rapidly built overtime finally exploding in a torrent of a whirlwind as his mankegyo flared up, Amaterasu on the brink of eradicating everything within the walls of his hospital room, but before damage could be done, Itachi had seized him, his own Sharingan active.

”Breathe Sasuke. You’re having a panic attack.” His laugh is hysterical, borderline maniac. It reminds him of the time he had shoved a chidori in Naruto’s chest and he had laughed like a madman, having enjoyed the look of pure terror on her face as a gaping hole was prominent on her person.

Uchiha Sasuke is many, many things. An emotionally stunted man? Indefinitely, childhood trauma ensures it. A missing nin? Without a doubt. An international war criminal? He thrived as one.

But to be a saviour, a hero? Most certainly not. He was a shinobi. He was taught to take lives, not save them. That was Naruto’s job. Not him. Not the Hokage’s. Not anyone else. It was Uzumaki Naruto’s sole purpose in his own opinion.

It’s a reflection of calamity and Sasuke just wants everything to end. It’s unbearable and he believes he’s already suffered in one lifetime already. He doesn’t need to add another lifetime of suffering, even with the possibility of saving everyone. _He just wants to be._

_It’s his adolescent wish turning into his own personal hell, and he doesn’t know how to adapt to this reality for it shatters the last of his sanity, leaving him an incoherent, babbling mess._

He’s much too broken to be saving the world. Much too fragile to be blessed with a second chance. He’s a man in a child’s body with much too many sins to start anew.

He’ll undoubtedly fuck up because that’s the only good thing he’s capable off.

But he knows one thing... _The future he knows is not set in stone. He’ll make sure of it. Hopefully._


	2. Through His Distorted Vision- A New Beginning.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke realises Konoha had become a morbid reflection of himself, of his conflicts and desires and vows to change that aspect of himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so shamblic lmfao but I hope you enjoyed it. 
> 
> Love M

In order to cause tragedy, one must break something beautiful, showcasing it like hard won trophy, framed in all its gold glory.

That's what Sasuke had done in his original timeline, breaking families whilst striking tragedy wherever he went, feeling entitled in his own twisted way, to be the one who brought pain and destruction to those who lived a life of bliss.

He had taken pleasure in causing others pain for his logic back then had been one of pain negates pain. But as time passed and he had caused pain and destruction, he no longer found enjoyment in viewing others misery when there was no satisfaction to gain from, for he would have flashbacks of the child he once used to be when Itachi had tortured him in his tsukuyomi, reminding him how defenseless and innocent they were, and would then be filled with hatred and self loathing at the person he had become.

_He had been a misguided fool in his attempt to bring peace and justice._

And as his head leans against the cold, and uneven wall behind him, his eyelids flutter close, tears welling in his eyes once again as his small frame heaves with dry sobs, but Sasuke doesn't give into the reward of crying his eyes out because truly, what good would it do for him?

He wipes away at his nonexistent tears, willing his eyes close, face facing towards the window and onto the village, flashes of the war flittering in his minds eye, playing like a broken record as everyone's engaged in their own battle of survival, fighting for a war done in one man's name.

He shakes his head, willing the violence to leave the confines of his mind, but it doesn't and another bout of memory pushes itself to the forefront of his mind. It's the one where he lay in the middle of the battlefield, his cloak tattered and torn surrounding his bruised and bloodied body as he lay among the bodies of his once fellow shinobi's; whose lives he had taken due his own distorted belief of pain negates pain, and that was the only viable option in attaining world peace - were he had reminisced on how Konoha , his village, had become a _morbid reflection of himself, his desires and his conflicts_ , for it had been a warzone since it's birth and had become a shell of a village- much like himself.

He takes in a shuddering breath as his eyes open, and Sasuke forces himself to realise that Konoha was no longer a barren waste land, wrecked with bloodshed and bodies of friends and foes alike. Konoha was still standing strong, tall and proud.

War had touched upon Konohagakure one too many times, tainting the village, and it's traumatising experience leaving it's people as nothing but walking corpses. It had been reduced to nothing but a desolate canvas that would not recover for years on end- much like himself- and Sasuke just wants to be enclosed in the arms of death as though they had been long lost friends, only if for a moment.

And whilst there were some villagers who were equally as traumatised by the third ninja war and the Kyuubi'a attack, most still hadn't experienced the full horror of fighting in a war that truly had nothing to do with them, a war that had lasted as long as a new born babes' cry but had been just as fatal and traumatising as a rampaging Tailed Beast.

And as Sasuke continues to look back and reminisce on his past life, Sasuke realises it had been filled with nothing but failure: such as his constant rejection towards Naruto, seeking power that had trapped him into a pit of insanity, failure in becoming the person his brother had wanted him to become.

_He was a complete and utter failure compared to the deeds Naruto had done._

His actions, whilst having been significant in its own ways, were nothing as benevolent as Naruto's, his were simply so insignificant, borderline trifling even, when compared to the girl who had become respected by all, for she had become a symbol of hope and peace, whilst he the opposite.

And as his failures become more pronounced to him, he remembers that there had been a time, when he had been young, an innocent babe, and was full of childlike innocence and naivety that shone brightly in him like it had in Naruto: that he wished to die a death befitting of a Hokage.

But a tale is only good as its final turn, the plot twist.

Failure had been seen as nothing but mere amusement, and at times for him, truly, when not thinking of it's consequences. But as time progressed in the company of the Snake Sannin, Sasuke had learnt that failures were much like trail and error, ( _read: life or death)._ It honed ones skills and abilities further with each mistake regarded and overcome, and overall bettering their survival rate. And Sasuke had learnt to never underestimate the consequence of his failures- after all that had been the reason he survived until the fourth great ninja war.

He heaves a sigh. It would do him no good to brood. He would rebuild himself, picking up the broken shards of his childhood innocence and the war harden man he had become, learning from each persona, piercing them together to become a better person.

And as he gazes out the window, onto the lively hustle and bustle of Konoha, Sasuke vows to accomplish a deed so great that it would obliterate all his failures and sins, and he'll die a death worthy, befitting, of the Naruto he knew and the one she would become. It was the least he could to atone for his sins.

  
*****  
  


The days progressed and Sasuke finds himself more in his brothers company, refusing to let the Uchiha prodigy out of his sight, for fear of his brother leaving him at any moment given, causing doubt to fester into his soul, causing bouts of insanity within his shattered mind to further crumple into dust that he wouldn't be able to save his beloved brother.

He felt despair at his lack of faith in himself at the thought that he wouldn't be able to save Itachi. Because the moment he lost hope, was the moment he would cease to exist for he knew Itachi would be long gone from the face of this world — leaving a trail of a man wrongfully convicted who had sought peace at the cost of his reputation and life — and because faltering and doubting yourself was the equivalent of dying, and not in the literal sense when you stopped drawing breath and your heart comes to a stop, but in the sense that you have let your insecurities overwhelm you, to the point it would cost you the life of the one you loved more than anything and shattering what little sanity was left within you.

And Sasuke knew if he were to let the doubts fester and cling to his soul, like a leech, he would undoubtedly accept death by the hands of either friends or foe alike, for life without Itachi would be the equivalent of being a dead man walking.

He vows to get strong enough that Itachi and Shisui will not have to carry the burden of the Uchiha clan, sacrificing their humanity for a power obsessed clan and for a village that plotted their demise since the beginning of time. And whilst Sasuke may no longer see Konoha as his home, two of his precious people loved this village for reasons Sasuke does not want to bother understanding.

  
*****  
  


Three weeks had passed since his 'reincarnation', and two weeks since his supposed attempted suicide, and finally, after knowing Itachi wouldn't disappear on him, Sasuke had finally stepped out of the Uchiha district and into the streets of Konoha, posture straight and eyes alert as they scanned for a whiskered blond.

He found her hours later in the park, making flower chains, her mood somber, and when she lifted her head up to tuck in the wayward of hair strands, he could see how pain filled her cerulean blue were, as though she had lived and seen everything this wretched world had to offer her. And Sasuke wonders, just maybe, if Naruto had taken the path he had — of vengeance and retribution— would she have found satisfaction in reigning pain and destruction to those who wronged her? And it was such as blasphemous thing to think for she was Naruto and would never let anyone suffer as she had, no matter how much they may deserve it.

And as he continues to stare at the severely small and malnourished Naruto, he knew that since her birth, her life had been nothing but tragedy and not her own. She had been confined in servitude against her own will by the people who were supposed nurture and care for her, and in replacement , lashes of soft spoken words were muttered under their breaths, evicting her from shops and if not would raise the prices.

All their actions and words had forged her whole being, dictating the shards of her cracked personality that was not completely her own, as well as her mask that has not yet been perfected for she was still innocent of her role as Konoha's human sacrifice.

_And Sasuke realises that it will be years down the future when the same people who once shunned her will praise her as they stare at her back as the phantom of their fourth Hokage is left in her wake, merging with her own blinding personality that it would dull out the hypocrisy in their praises and Sasuke can't wait for that day to come sooner._

And has Sasuke compares this Naruto to the original Naruto, he wonders if their rivalry turned friendship would be nothing more than a glorious, inevitable tragedy, much like their first, and he hopes not, for he doubts he would could survive another heartbreak.

So Sasuke decides in order to annihilate such a chance, he'll make Naruto the epitome of Victory, and in some cases where something significant had to be broken in one's life and be rebuilt piece by piece, there was no need for that with Naruto, for she was nearly as broken as he and the only way to go about it was to befriend the ball of sunshine before she burnt out without so much as making a change in this accursed world.

And as he walks up to the orange loving girl, who's sitting under Hashirama's tree, Sasuke knows that three single words are enough to change the course of history, as well as knowing that the simplest of words that would blossom their friendship , and would mean a lot to Naruto. Plus there was no way he would be saving the world without his tether by his side, because he'd no doubt fuck everyone up more than _Obito_ had.

And as Sasuke introduces himself to the girl who's smile is loud and blinding enough to keep his demons at bay, Sasuke can't help but pull at her pigtails as a small smirk flitters across his face.

And it's then that he can see the red string of fate connecting two lost souls, and Sasuke supposes he could indulge himself with being suffocated by the affection Naruto would throw his way, just this once.

"Be my friend." He grunts out as she stares at him with wide, glittering blue eyes, before her face breaks out in a large blinding smile, as a squeak of happiness leaves her lips, and Sasuke can't help but return his own small one.

_He can't fathom as to why he had denied himself her company once before, but no more. He would leech of affection and in return he would help her in achieving her blasted dream of taking up the mantle of Hokage._

_Everything was well, for now at least._

-/


	3. Promise Of A LifeTime!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto was adorable as a child and Sasuke can’t help but follow her around like an adorable puppy, and Itachi is concerned for his brothers new found social etiquettes whilst Shisui and Mikoto harp on about it being young love and Fugaku is not impressed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter consists of utter fluffy crap and is rather shambolic. Sorry for any mistakes you my encounter, hope you enjoy.
> 
> Love M

“SASUKE.” His name rang loud and clear throughout the Uchiha district and Sasuke let out an uncharacteristic long sigh as he saw the mass of unruly blond hair bobbing up and down as the owner of said hair came crashing down on him, rubbing their cheeks together, hands flapping wildly around as an ear splitting grin was prominent on her face.

”SASUKE.” Goodness, did she not understand the pleasantries of being silent in the early of hours of the day? Forever screaming his head off as though it was the norm— and truly it was, but still, it was _Morning—_ and Sasuke wanted nothing more than to shake his idiot silly, until she was an incoherent babbling mess, and that would be much worse for she would undoubtedly not shut up until she could string coherent sentences properly together.

”Be quiet Naruto.” She gave him an unimpressed look, taking his hands as she dragged him out the Uchiha District.

”That’s not how ya supposed to greet me teme.” 

“hn?”

“Yeah, you’re supposed ta return it with the same eun... einthu..”

”Enthusiasm?”

”Yeah that. But here you go again being a grumpy old bastard.”

He snorted, causing her to throw a smile his way as she continued to tug at his hand, dragging him in a different direction than the one leading to the Academy. It was then he realised that they were a tad to early to be heading towards their lessons for the sun had only risen.

”Naruto?”

”Yeah?”

”The academy doesn’t start for another hour or so...”

”I’m glad you realised ttebayo.” She grinned at him, eyes alight with mischief and Sasuke wondered why he decided to befriend this orange loving, rambunctious child for. No doubt whatever she had planned would land them in trouble. 

”You’re gonna help me decorate the Hokage Monument before class starts and then Iruka sensei won’t know it was me who done it and can’t blame me ‘cuz I was in class and you was with me ttebayo.”

He shook his head at her explanation, no doubt knowing that Iruka as well as other Chunin and Jounins would know it was the doing of one Uzumaki Naruto. _Because only she had the balls to do such a ‘heinous’ crime._

But hey, who was he to burst her bubble, and as long as she took the blame, he could enjoy the trouble that would no doubt brew over the vandalism done to the faces on the Hokage Monument.

“You’re an idiot Naruto.” Was all he supplied as they started defacing Hashirama’s face.

  
*****  
  


Fukagu wondered were he had gone wrong in raising Sasuke for his little boy to be causing ruckus in the village along side Minato’s ramen loving spawn.

Since his friendship with the Jinchuriki, his son had become a constant face within the Uchiha Police force along with the blonde Uzumaki, both being caught constantly in whatever mischief and torture they had planned out for his fellow Shinobi’s and random civilians alike.

And today was no different.

Both kids came in supporting blotches on paint on their clothes and looking equally disgruntled at being caught so early in the morning, and Fukagu wondered why in the seven heavens his child was not at the academy.

”What was it this time?” He questioned, preparing his usual long winded speech on responsibility and the likes, knowing full well that it would go in one ear and out the other. 

”We decorated the Hokage Monument ttebayo.” Fugaku blinked owlishly at the girls beaming face and the smug and prideful look on his sons face. 

And before he could stutter out his response, the loud gruff laugh of his nephew beat him to it.

”Naru-hime! Have I ever told you how much I love your pranks?” The girls tinkering laughter filled the room as Shisui spun her around in his arms.

”Of course you do. You help me plan them out and they always come out perfect ttebane.” 

And Fugaku could only stare at how the she-devil wrapped and twisted his nephew around her skinny little fingers, much like she did with his Sasuke. And speaking of said boy, was scowling at his cousin — who was playing with Uzumaki’s hair— had a look of jealousy flashing through his eyes before it went back to its blank look, which had Fugaku wondering when his son had developed more emotions than the usual Uchiha ones.

All in all, Kushina and Minato’s spawn was definitely a bad influence on his youngest son and his nephew. Thank Kami Itachi was immune to the blondes cuteness.

*****  
  


“Psst Sasuke!” He ignored her dutifully and continued listening to Iruka’s monotonous voice. They had already come late to the academy after being given the usual speech by his father, earning him the ire of their teacher and Sasuke did not want to be on the receiving end of the mans ire again. _Getting shouted out by Naruto was enough and he didn’t need an academy teacher doing the same, thank you very much._

”Sasuke-teme!” Did his idiot not know when to take a hint? They were in class dammit.

”Sakura and Ino asked me what type of underwear you wear. What should I tell them?” Sasuke chocked on air, swivelling his head to face her as she stared wide eyed at him, readily waiting for whatever answer she thought he would give her. _What an idiot._

“Nothing. Tell them nothing.” He whispered out, teeth clenched, tugging at her pigtails as she pouted at him.

”Why not. It’s just underwear ttebayo.” He simply tugged harder at her pigtail. Did she not understand how barbaric it was to ask a boy what his underwear consisted off. Truly, Sakura and Ino were bad influence on his idiot. Why he truly encouraged their friendship in the first place was beyond him and he was sincerely regretting it.

*****  
  


Really he should have expected his idiot to not give up about the whole underwear situation.

But for her to sneak into his room later that night and rummage through his drawers was entirely something else. _She was something else. But then again, this was Naruto and Sasuke supposes he shouldn’t be surprised she would go to any length to find something out._

”What are you doing Naruto!”

A squeak of surprise leaves her as she turns to face him, pigtails lashing at her cheeks.

”Eh. I was pretty sure you was asleep ttebayo. Why are you still awake teme.”

He gives her an unimpressed look, tugging her up and dragging her towards his bed.

”You don’t ever give up do you.” 

“Of course not. Who do you take me for.”

“Tch.”

”I’ll get one of your underwear and give it to Sakura- chan and Ino-chan. Watch and see teme.” And Sasuke had no doubt she would do that. It would seem he would need to hide them in some place safe.

*****  
  


”Naru-hime!” As much as he liked his cousin Shisui, Sasuke down right detested the boy when he hogged his idiots attention, and she was so free in entertaining said boy. Both exchanging pranking ideas, being obnoxiously loud despite only being hair width apart. Sasuke wanted nothing more than to dash his cousin into the Naka River so he could drown himself in Naruto’s affection and keep her all to himself.

But that was the least of his worries as of now because his beloved Itachi had taken interest in Naruto and would always stare at, as though he was analysing her, assessing her as though she was a strange and rare specie, and would then right something down, which quite frankly scared Sasuke shitless. 

His brother was a prodigy, so for him to study and take notes on Naruto and then later whisper about it with Shisui unnerved him beyond measures.

”Sasuuukeeeeee I’m bored.” He felt her clasp his arms, shoving her face between the junction of shoulder and head. He simply nodded distractedly as he followed his cousin who made his way to Itachi, both now staring at him and he quickly turned away, pulling Naruto further into him.

”Let’s get Ramen. My treat.” He dragged her with him, wanting to get away from both boys.

Naruto shouted out with happiness.”And this why I love you ttebane.” He felt himself flatter as he stared at the blonde with wide eyes at her proclamation. And Sasuke felt warmth enter the pits of his stomach, stirring something new within him.

”I know.” He supplied as they carried on towards their destination, feeling rather smug at satisfied at the deepening of their bond.

*****  
  


Surprised wouldn’t be the only word Sasuke would describe the scene playing out in front of him. 

Astonishment? Disbelief? Amusement? And many other words. 

In his previous life he hadn’t known Naruto to have any particular interest in cooking, so to see her side by side in the kitchen with his mother, both working flawlessly in preparing breakfast: had Sasuke staring bug eyed.

“She’d make a great housewife wouldn’t she Sasuke.”

Nodding absent minded, he replied. “Definitely.”

”ha I knew it. Ain’t nothing like young love.” Sasuke gave his cousin the stink eye who simply ruffled his head, laughing as he went over to help lay the table out, muttering about how his mother now owed him.

And it wasn’t long before Naruto bounded up to him, forcing him to take a seat next to her whilst placing two onigiri’s on his plate, prompting him to take a bite, eyes gleaming as she stared at him.

He threw her a skeptical look before taking a bite.

He took another bite, taking time to actually process how the salted rice melted in his tongue and not any later, the tangy flavour of tomatoes made their way onto his tastebuds, and Sasuke can’t help but think he could wake up every morning to eating onigiri with tomatoes. It was simply splendid.

”Who made it.”

”I did ttebayo. You like it don’t ya.” 

“No.” He denied as he saw his mother’s smug look as she giggled with Shisui. 

“Eh. No need to lie teme. I know you like it and that’s why I’m going to make them for you everyday but you gotta buy me Ramen ‘cuz I’m not doing this for free.” 

“Hn.” He supplied before devouring the rest of the onigiri, Naruto looking happy whilst his mother and cousin shared glances between each other.

_hmph!_

_*****  
_

When Naruto had claimed she would make Tomatoe stuffed Onigiri for him, she hadn’t been lying for every morning she would turn up and make them for him to have as either breakfast or lunch.

This had become a routine and Sasuke wouldn’t deny how fuzzy it made him feel. He liked how she would pamper and dote on him, no matter how uncomfortable and guilty he would feel sometimes. But nonetheless he soaked it up. He wouldn’t let himself throw it away like he had previously done. Naruto was finally his and she seemed to enjoy him being around him and he wouldn’t let his guilty conscious rear it’s ugly head and have him doubt whatever they had going on was simply a figment of his imagination.

Naruto was happy with him and he was happy with her. And that’s all that mattered.

The days continued to pass by with Naruto roping him into her mischief: leading to Shisui whipping out more elaborate pranks, much to his father’s dismay. Itachi still fluttered around her, constantly writing in that blasted notepad of his whilst his mother dressed and pampered Naruto, who quiet hated wearing anything girly and would come complaining to him, despite the happiness that surrounded her.

And it had come to the point where Naruto barely slept in her own apartment for she would always sleep with him — which Sasuke rather liked, she was rather cuddly and chased away what nightmare that were no doubt waiting to eat him alive.

So it was with anticipation and fear later that night in the comfort of ~~his~~ their room that Sasuke finally said what was on his mind.

”Move in with us Naruto.” 

“What?” Her voice cracked with that one word and for a minute Sasuke believed she would let the tears fall from her cerulean eyes.

”I said...”

”No. I mean why.” _Because he wanted her with him forever and always._

“You practically live here already. We’re just making it official. Okasan and Otosan already approve.” Was what left his mouth instead.

”Really? You’re not lying to me are you ttebayo.”

He huffed; “What reason do I have to lie to you idiot.” At that, she threw herself into his arms, rubbing their cheeks together as she thanked him and Sasuke can’t help but smile.

*****  
  


Later that night, both Sasuke and Naruto lay side by side in Sasuke’s bed as they chattered about everything and anything, each enjoying the steady and comforting presence of the other.

“You’re my bestest friend ya know that teme!”

”Yeah.”

”And that means I love you ya know.”

”Hn.”

”So we gotta make each other a promise.”

”What kind of promise Naruto?”

”A promise of a lifetime.” 

“Okay.”

She held out her pinky finger and thumb, pointing them towards him. He mimicked her actions, and both intertwined their little finger, pressing their thumbs together.

 _“Promise me, promise me we’ll always be together”_.

_“Always.”_

_-/_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn’t supposed to update this early but iteez what iteez !??


	4. There’s Beauty in Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Problems arise and Sasuke feels helpless, but he knows he’ll do anything to protect Naruto and those he holds dear to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ngl, someone was supposed to die in this chapter, but clealr;y nothing went to plan AGAIN, but we move. Sorry for any mistakes you may encounter, hope you enjoy!!

Everything had been going well, _a bit too well,_ and that should have been the first sign that chaos was about to strike and life wasn't as sunshine and daises as he lead himself to believe.

He had devoted himself to being Naruto's shadow that he had forgotten about saving the world, saving Itachi, saving Shisui and saving his parents. _Stopping the Massacre._

But Sasuke had no clue how he would go around what seemed to be an inevitable tragedy that would soon fall upon them, for animosity between his clan and the village grew. The tension tangible that it caused an itch so bad in Sasuke that he wanted nothing more than to mutilate Danzo beyond recognition and fucking kill Obito. He had been so ignorant to it that Sasuke wished for a moment that he hadn't been so hang up on Naruto, suffocating himself in her presence and affection but he quickly squished such thought away.

He was still, in all aspects, a child. And whilst he had the mentality of an eighteen year old, it would do him no good in this situation. Simply put, he was a runt with a blasted eight year old body with no physical capabilities in his arson to take on the man pulling the strings behind the curtain. Sure, he still had his mangekyo, but it's abilities was far better suited for battle than mind fucking his clan into stopping the coup, unlike Shisui's Kotoamatsukami.

And at this rate, the Massacre would happen, with Shisui committing suicide, leaving everything in the hands of his fragile and broken brother, who would later then go off being the hero they never knew they needed. And Sasuke didn't want that to happen. He wanted his brother and cousin to live a simple life without them having to feel as though they had to carry the weight of world on their shoulders.

_Damn Itachi and Shisui for being bloody pacifists._

  
*****  
  


Maybe it had been Naruto's stupidity and recklessness finally rubbing off on him for Sasuke to be eavesdropping on Itachi and his parents conversation, but he supposes he may get the well needed answer he needs to stop the coup from happening.

"I don't think it's wise to go through with this Fukagu. If it doesn't go to plan, we'll be killed for treason. Think about Sasuke and Naruto before you go off making decisions that will no doubt end us. And I will not have Itachi and Shisui take part in this scheme of yours."

"Whilst I am in favour of the coup, it was not me who truly brought forth the idea of overthrowing the Hokage but the council elders..."

"You're the head of the clan Fukagu, you call the shots here, not them, so stop acting like a sheep and take the reigns and act like the leader you have always been." Mikoto cut him off and Sasuke could only internally applaud his mothers bravery.

And before Sasuke could listen further into the conversation, a hand landed on his shoulders, stirring him away from the door and down the hall.

"Shisui-san..."

"Quiet Sasuke."

The pair walked further down, coming to a stop at Shisui's room, with said owner placing what looked to be privacy seals around his room, before turning to him, gesturing for him to take a seat. Sasuke does so and the silence between them is suffocating.

"How much did you hear Sasuke." The boy sounds stricken with grief and frustration that Sasuke pities his cousin for the burden placed upon his shoulders.

"Enough to know what the clan is planning."

Shisui lets out an exhausted sigh, hands clenching within his hair as he assess his younger cousin: who stares at him with knowing and pitiful eyes that has Shisui turning away from him. Sometimes Sasuke was a tad to wise for his age that it unnerved him beyond reasoning, but he always passed it off as Sasuke being another Itachi in the making.

"Say Sasuke, what would you do if you were in mine or Itachi's place?"

Sasuke doesn't hesitate to answer; "I'd kill those in favour of the coup." It's honest and blunt and Shisui doesn't doubt that if Sasuke was older he would have done so without a doubt, for the ferocity in those eyes promised pain, destruction and suffering - the look of a misguided protector.

"Violence and bloodshed is not the answer Sasuke. Violence only breeds violence." His cousin shrugs, as though he did not care about the consequences of his actions.

"Not always, but sometimes that is the only way to solve conflict. If the coup fails, we'll no doubt be annihilated. What's better than cutting off the loose ends Shisui-san?"

"So you condone the death of innocents?"

Sasuke scoffs; "They're hardly innocent when they have started a loosing battle in the name of vengence and honour. If killing them means no coup, then I'd be willing to do so, because sometimes Shisui-san, we have to do something bad in order to stop something worse from happening. Because no doubt the coup will fail and Danzo will manipulate Sarutobi into wiping all of us - children and the elderly alike. Mercy will be nothing but a word and the Uchiha clan will be no more - and no doubt will Danzo collect our eyes like hard won trophy. So remember Shisui-san, one man's evil, is another man's salvation." With that he left an ashen face cousin in the suffocating silence as his last words rang loud, true and clear.

  
*****  
  


Shisui was conflicted and scared.

Conflicted due to the words shared between him and Sasuke and scared of how said boy had came to know about Danzo existence and his infatuation with their clans eyes. Itachi and him had tried so hard to protect Sasuke from the danger and manipulation that lay hidden within their village, one in which he and Itachi had been weaved into since the tender age of eight.

But for Sasuke to know about things the clan didn't know, had Shisui wondering if by some lucky chance, Danzo had managed to get an audience with Sasuke, but had failed in hiding his motives, causing Sasuke to do his own digging around. And Shisui hoped not for it could lead to to traumatising events that he wanted Sasuke protected from.

And with Sasuke mentioning Danzo and his power over the Hokage had him rethinking his decision to inform the Hokage about the coup. And with Danzo and Sarutobi having been teammates once, it wasn't hard to see as to why Danzo would have such sway on their leader. The man had the most freedom within Konoha, using his position as once being their leaders teammate to his advantage. Setting up a new division in which he kidnapped clan-less orphans to turn into war machines in the name of protecting Konoha. And whilst Shisui respected the mans loyalty to his village, protecting it from it shadows, his ethics and morals left nothing to be desired off for they were unorthodox and barbaric- despite it being effective in keeping Konoha strong and proud.

So maybe, it wouldn't hurt to follow Sasuke's less than subtle hint about getting rid of the instigators, and by doing so, it would undoubtedly turn Danzo's plan to dust in attaining his eyes. Shisui was not an idiot to not realise Danzo's obession with Uchiha clan's Dojutsu - more so his when it held powers beyond a normal Shinobi's capabilities.

So if silently killing the council elders meant no other innocent lives would be lost, Shisui supposes he could put aside his morality just this once. It was only a matter of telling Itachi and hoping the young pacifist would have his back just like that time when they had fought Danzo's Root ANBU and had come out victorious.

Shisui hopes nothing goes awry. Innocent lives rested in his hands.

_...because sometimes Shisui-san, we have to do something bad in order to stop something worse from happening... so remember this Shisui-san, one man's evil, is another man's salvation._

  
*****  
  


The slicing of metallic blood was heavy in the air as bodies fell one after the other, the fight no doubt at its peak, everyone engaged in their own survival as they clashed violently against each other.

And it was most certainly not supposed to go like this. It was supposed to be a silent affair. A quick assasination to say so because that was Shisui had told him. So for him to see his clansmen/women fighting each other, with the random ANBU scattered around, holding the young Uchiha children in their custody whilst the Hokage watched from the sidelines, doing nothing to placate the violence had fury building in Sasuke's veins.

Blinded by his own anger, Sasuke felt his body moving on autopilot towards the ANBU's, slashing and slicing at them causing the children to scatter to the comfort of the abandoned houses, as his Sharingan activated.

Too engaged in his own battle, Sasuke didn't see how one of the ANBU's sneaked around him, heading towards the newcomer who looked bleary eyed as they took in the destruction done within the Uchiha district.

And with the newcomer still in half asleep state, the hadn't sensed the danger heading towards them, until she was grabbed by her hair, her back pressed against a cold and hard armour, a kunai to her throat that had her wide eyed and very much awake.

A scream bubbled up in her mouth and before any noise could escape, the kunai was dug harsher into her neck, nicking it enough to let out the warm liquid that was her blood gush out.

"I wouldn't if I were you little girl."

"Let me go ttebayo." The Kunai pressed deeper into the cut causing Naruto to gag on the blood that forced its way up her throat, coating her lips in all it's red glory.

"Stubborn aren't we. Maybe a little more pain will do the trick." The sadistic glee in the man's voice was not missed by Naruto, who started thrashing in his hold, refusing to be tortured by a bastard like him when she had never done anything to warrant his wrath.

"Let me go ya bastard." Naruto stomped on his foot, ignoring the warm liquid that gushed out from her neck in favour of freeing herself from the man's vice like grip. Her efforts were proven futile as the man launched a kick to her back, causing the blonde haired Uzumaki to stagger to her knees as she coughed out more blood, anger rolling off off her in waves as she berated herself for being so damn weak.

"Maybe damaging that pretty voice of yours will teach you to keep quiet, wouldn't you agree little Kitsune?" Unable to answer, Naruto settled on glaring at the man as he twirled the kunai between his fingers, his head cocked to the side in a mocking manner.

And quicker than her eyes could follow, the man swiped at her neck, deepening the wound more as she gagged further, choking on her own blood as it constricted her breathing and Naruto knew it would no doubt scar once healed. _If she made it out alive that was._ She didn't want to die let alone lose her voice because some bastard decided on a whim she'd make a good hostage.

And before she knew it, unadulterated, raw and all consuming power rushed through her, burning through her veins and before she knew it, her mind was no longer hers as she clawed and swiped at the Shinobi who had brought this change within her.

  
*****  
  


The dense and hatred filled chakra had the shinobi's frozen in their battles whilst some had fallen to their knees at the sheer vastness of all the negative emotions combined; unable to withstand such ferocity.

Sasuke could only curse himself to the deepest pits of hell as he watched the Kyuubi's chakra bubbled around her, cocooning her as she fought with the ANBU shinobi who looked frightened at the turn of events. And as he watched on, Sasuke prayed that Naruto would take back control before the fox incapacitated the Shinobi to the point were death looked like a welcomed reward.

And as the brutality and sheer force of the fight escalated, Sasuke saw how the number of ANBU's started popping up, coupled with those from Root - _no doubt Danzo's lapdogs_. And Sasuke knew right then that if he didn't stop Naruto before it was too late, Danzo would take advantage of it and sooner Naruto would be under his supervision and would be raised as a pig for slaughter, and there was no way Sasuke would let that happen. And if it meant using his mankegyo to stop her and reveal he had awakened his blasted Dojustsu to the rest of the clan that didn't know and the Hokage, so be it.

And just as he was about to make his way over, Sasuke wondered if it was sheer luck -- that they had all been saved as the the bushy white hair of Jiraiya popped into existence with his toad, slapping a seal on her forehead, causing his idiot to stop mid way and soon fell into the arms of her godfather -- or if everything had been planned out and he hoped that wasn't the case.

Because the truly, everything had gone to the dogs tonight and Sasuke wondered what inevitable punishment awaited his clan.

-/


	5. Because, Just Because

Itachi wonders how many times Autumns had came to pass by as it makes way for Winter which comes knocking on their door, soon followed by Spring as it comes dancing in as time of rebirth, renewal and awakening settles in. How many times the wind changed directions and a butterfly flapped it's wings, Summer galloping in as the weaves of fate shifted, for their leader to question his loyalty the one time he does something in favour of his clan.

Did the Village truly come before family? Mission before comrades? Was this the _supposed honour_ that came with being a Shinobi? Itachi thinks it's a very backward ideology to have. Without families birthing future Shinobi's a village wouldn't prosper and be protected from enemies, foes and allies alike. Holding missions in higher regards than a comrades life would reap more consequences than it could sow -- for less Shinobi's would mean less missions completed efficiently. Did their leader not see and understand such simple concept, and realise how many of his Shinobi's would agree with Itachi in regards to this simple ideology?

How many seasons had it taken for him to realise such a simple concept. _How many seasons would it take the Hokage to realise this?_ He hopes not long for Itachi would stay firm in his actions in protecting his clan. And if this meant his Hokage would question his loyalty because of tonight's action -- he wouldn't care, because to him, he had done the right thing.

And in the end, it would come down to a battle of morals, one Itachi knew without a doubt he would win. Because in hindsight, protecting his clan, meant protecting his village -- even if the village came second to his clan-- and the Hokage should understand that better than all of them combined.

"Your actions tonight has cost Konoha to lose valuable Shinobi, leading me to question the loyalty of the Uchiha Clan." The Sandaime says as he seats himself in his chair, gaze piercing as he evaluates each and every man and woman in the room.

Itach steps forward, refusing to let one action dictate the end of the Uchiha clan. "Our action tonight has saved Konoha from loosing a powerful clan as well as stopping a civil war breaking out in our midst and letting other Countries take advantage of such visible weakness."

"And fighting your own clansmen/women was the solution to this?" Sarutobi presses on.

"If it meant saving more innocent lives and stopping a civil war, then I stand by our actions. The clan was planning a coup. At first Shisui and I were willing to inform you, but circumstances had changed it, leading us to believe that disposing of the instigators would be the quicker and better route -- despite the bloodbath that has occurred-- most of them have passed from this world, meaning there is no longer a coup and the Uchiha Clan will continue to serve under you." Itach prattles on, face blank but eyes full of convictions, daring the Hokage to find holes in his arguments, daring the old man to not see underneath the underneath.

"And what circumstances has changed for you to take matter into your own hands?"

"It is of Clan business, one that cannot be shared with outsiders." Was all Itachi gave, knowing full well that the Hokage would be none the wiser to Itachi and Shisui's distrust in him and Danzo with an answer such as that.

"One more question, what was the reason behind the coup?" Itachi cocks his head to the side, wondering as to why the Hokage would ask such a question that even a mere genin would be able to answer, if given the right information.

"The Kyuubi incident has lead to further ostracization of the clan, despite us not being near the vicinity for we were gathering the civilians to a safe area. Surely Hokage-sama you would know that for you had ordered us to do so."

The expression on the Hokage's face turns grave as he takes in the Uchiha heirs word, knowing full well he hadn't given such order. Why would he when they were his top Shinobi's -- it was a matter of who had given them such idiotic orders in his name?

"Had I given the order to you directly or was it through a second party?"

"Danzo-sama was the one who informed us." Shisui steps in, having an inkling on were the conversation may be heading and the future consequences it could lead to if not treaded carefully.

No one speaks as the information is processed and Sarutobi wonders for a moments if Kagami's descendant was simply misinformed, but the thought is quickly banished knowing the teens loyalty to his village and clan. So he speaks up and decides to put everything to rest with plans of delving deeper into the trouble the Uchiha have been weaved into against their will.

"The Sharingan can control a tailed beast. That is what fuelled the animosity between the Uchiha Clan and the villagers further. But regardless of that fact, you say the Clan were not amongst those who fought. If I am to believe you -- which I do -- it would seem as though there is an Uchiha who has defected and someone within our ranks know who they are and have indefinitely come to an alliance of sorts to be rid of the Uchiha Clan. For now this will stay between us and we'll forget about tonight's events. Your actions and words tonight have proved enough that protecting your clan meant protecting your village. I hope you can turn to your leader if any other problems ever arise again?"

"Of course Hokage-Sama. Thank you." Fukagu speaks up as the surviving Uchiha's file out the Hokage Tower.

And Itachi feels as though this is the calm before the storm, setting out the catalyst that would no doubt rock Konoha's foundation to its core as the webs of lies and manipulation that wove deep into Konoha since its birth would be revealed, and said village will be plunged into Darkness as its military will be overturned.

He supposes, that would a satisfactory beginning into cleansing the Uchiha name, rebuilding it's tarnished reputation and from it's dust awakening the prosperity and respect that lived long in the Uchiha name.

_Itachi sincerely hopes everything will turn out alright, for lives had been lost in tonight's tragedy, no matter if innocent or not. A life was a life and shouldn't be taken recklessly. But Itachi knows, that sometimes something bad has to happen to stop something worse and putting aside his morality tonight, had helped ensure the survival of innocent Uchiha's and he would be content with that and try to ignore the guilt that attacked him in the confines of his mind when he takes a life._

So for now, it was time for Itachi to put clan based matters aside and extract long awaited information from his foolish little brother in regards to his newly awakened and matured Sharingan and his findings about Danzo.

*****  
  


Change is a constant matter in life-- never motionless nor stagnant, but much like the ocean waves when hurricanes and tsunami's touched upon them. It's a process that follows every individual -- a must in order to progress towards the future. It's inevitable and no man or woman had escaped its clutches.

Change could be seen as Fate's accessory -- a change in the winds direction and a butterfly flaps it's wing, shifting the weaves of fate, dictating what stays the same and what does not -- such as whether a timeline branches away from its proper alignment or if everything stays the same as planned. It's much like truth or dare. Picks and chooses who suffers the worst of the worst and who comes out victorious.

It's a simple concept really. Change is an inevitable, glorious tragedy that follows even the most insignificant person, lurking in our shadows, seducing us in it's hurricane and only a few ever leave it's clutches satisfied and pleased with their outcome, whilst others curse their luck to the seven pits of hell.

And Sasuke supposes he was one of the few who came out satisfied and pleased with their outcome or it may simply have been sheer luck that the Uchiha Clan had survived this time round, because a simple word here, and small action there was enough to shift the weaves of fate and change the timeline.

But with every good there's always a bad, and with Sasuke, it came in the form of Uchiha Itachi and Shisui. And he should have expected it, knowing his brother was a perfectionist, wanting to know the ins and outs when it came to family - more so him than others. So Sasuke welcomes the questions but doesn't answer.

Because it's not as though he can blab out the truth because even to his ears it sounds mad, borderline trifling and illogical because saying; _after you committed mass murder I decided to seek power to destroy you, defecting from Konoha and into the claws of Orochimaru. And when I succeeded in Killing you I found out the truth about the massacre, Danzo's involvement and against your better inner wishes I become an international war criminal, waging war on Konoha in your name but it backfired spectacularly because I died failing to bring Justice to your name. And on my deathbed , my regret and wishful thinking had come into fruition so here I am, trying to right my wrongs, which is seemingly going well for now. So there....._

.......so Sasuke will have to make do with poking his brother on the forehead. "Maybe next time Itachi." And Sasuke feels smug at catching his beloved brother off guard. He knows that little affectionate gesture is reserved for only him, so it doesn't hurt to turn the tables on his brother and return the gesture, and with him being older mentally, Sasuke supposes it isn't as weird as it looks and plus he has every right at returning the favour after eighteen years.

He was the big brother now and that meant it was his turn to look out for Itachi, and he supposes he's doing a damn fine job at it because Itachi is still alive and breathing so Sasuke can't be nothing but happy.

_The future looked indefinitely better than his previous one and Sasuke hopes whatever luck is on his side doesn't run out, for he'd create the perfect world for Itachi and Naruto._

_Because they are worth it._

-/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing the last three paragraphs heheh. Anyways hopeyou enjoyed it. Muah😽!


	6. A Girl's Bestfriend Is A Pervert?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't understand why my chapters never go to plan so we just finna wing this bad boy and hope for the best. Hope you enjoy it and sorry for any mistakes you may encounter.

Waking up to reality after seemingly being stuck in a black abyss for hours on end was relieving, but to see a man that fit Sasuke's description of a pervert, hovering over her caused an ear shattering scream to bubble out of her as she scrambled up her bed, putting what she deemed to be a safe distance between them.

And as she did so, the man moved forward, his face now inches away from hers. Another scream threatened to bubble out, and as she opened her mouth to do so, the man's larger, _much larger_ hands came clamping down on her mouth.

"You certainly got a pair of healthy lungs if you are able to scream loud enough to tear down Konoha's hospital brat."

She raised a shaky finger at him once he had removed his hand, her voice cracking as she spoke; "You're a pervert aren't you." The man looked bewildered for a moment before a hearty laugh tore through his throat, upper body bending as his hands came to his knees to stabilise him. Naruto wanted to know what was so funny at simply stating a factual statement.

"Not any old pervert, but a super pervert, best get it right next time brat." Naruto stares wide eyed at his reply. Did this man not have honour?, but then Sasuke did say perverts knew nothing of such word.

"You're creepy old man." She gives him a disgusted look, crossing her arms under her chest as she faces away from him. He merely chuckles at that, and as quick as a snap, his face turns serious and the air shifts between them and Naruto wonders what brought this on.

"Now that we skimmed over what kind of a pervert I am, let's get down to discussing the events of last night."

 _Last night?_ She frowns, not understanding before realisation sinks in that she's in a hospital _because of what happened last night_. Her memory is somewhat fuzzy after she had broken free from the man that had held her hostage, remembering that she had fought him after having had a burst of chakra that had felt _so tainted_ , _so violent_ and filled with so much _pain and anger and suffering and longing_ , but it was without a doubt the strongest she had felt and was grateful to whomever or wherever such power had come from - even if it made her feel disgusted after she had regained some of her barely there consciousness back after she had beat up the Shinobi who held her hostage to a pulp.

Naruto nods in reply to his question and he goes off asking her another question and if she remembers how the night had started. And she somewhat does, from her own perspective that it - remembering to having heard the not to silent footsteps, the clang of kunai's meeting kunai's and the distinctive sound of metal slicing through skin and the soft thuds of bodies falling down in defeat, outside her room.

She hadn't expected the people who had come to be her family fighting against each other - for reasons she did not know- and she sincerely hoped that whatever feud they had going on between them had now been solved and too many lives hadn't been lost in the tragedy that had enclosed upon them.

"I suppose that's good. I'm going to need you to pull up you shirt now so I can check up on you." His hands moved to grab at her t-shirt but Naruto was quicker to bat his hands away, scowling as the man tried again.

"Stop trying to moler... molester me ttebayo." The white haired man spluttered in disbelief, face aghast as he took a step back, pointing his index finger at her;

"You're much too young for me anyways and with your lack of certain jugs, you don't interest me at all."

"I don't believe you." And as he moves _again_ towards her, Naruto makes a snap decision, flinging herself from the bed, launching a kick at the pervert - in the place that Sasuke told her would cause them extreme pain - and not long after, she's flying through the window, laughing in glee at her latest accomplishment in bringing down a pervert.

Now off to find that stupid idiot of hers.

*****

Jiriaya could only groan in disbelief at the turn of events as he retold the tale to his Hokage who seemed delightfully amused at his misfortune. It was most certainly not his fault that his Goddaughter thought him to be a pervert who had a thing or two for little girls, leading to her kicking him in his prized jewels and then having the audacity to escape from him - _him the Great Toad Sannin. Blasphemous. Absolutely Blasphemous to be taken down with a mere kick by a skinny eight year old girl who was his Goddaughter to boot._

"We'll have next time to check up on the seal. I'm confident in Minato's skills to know that the seal has not broken, and Naruto had only called upon it's chakra because of the situation she had been in." Sarutobi hums in agreement at his former students words.

"Indeed, but I would feel better having you around for the next few days. Maybe you can get to know Naruto better?"

Eyes bugged out at such confirmation because after eight years, the old man - by saying those words - had removed the ban that had stopped him from associating with his Goddaughter for the sake of her _supposed_ safety - not that he had believed that had been the reason for his ban - but he had went along with the man's words, knowing full well he would have broken it once his Goddaughter turned thirteen. But now he had an extra five years to get to know her - not that it would be a full five years due to the instability of his occupation- but he would make do with it for this was his chance to have a _family_ again.

Because after Minato had died, a piece of him had left with his pseudo son, and Jiriaya so consumed in his grief and sorrow , had clutched and latched on to baby Naruto - the innocent new born babe who's fathers legacy had become her inheritance - for she would become the one he would dedicate his life to.

He had wanted to raise her, but having not taken the time to properly grief, he had been rejected and a measly excuse was thrown in to get him away from his Goddaughter, cutting all chances of connecting with her out the window. Now he would have to slot in eight years of missed milestones into random weeks or months. And Jiriaya was willing to sacrifice his arms to get to know his Goddaughter and make up for lost time.

_Because she was family and he would go to any lengths to have a bond so deep with her that even in death it wouldn't sever._

"You can't go back on your word old man." He sniffed, body already half out the window.

"As if you would have kept your word at all Jiriaya." Was the Hokage's reply as his student waved farewell and in search for his wayward Goddaughter.

*****

"SASUKE." His eyes snapped up at the orange blur that was coming at him with frightening speed that it caused Sasuke to drop the Dango he had bought for his brother in favour of catching his idiot before she had them rolling down the streets looking as though they were brawling like ruffians.

And as expected, she came landing on his chest , flattening him down on the street, a blinding smile apparent on her whiskered face as she rubbed her cheeks against him in greeting.

"Get off me woman." She pouts at him, shaking her head as she re-arranges herself onto his back as he gets up - essentially giving her piggyback.

"Shouldn't you be in the hospital getting better Naruto." It's more of a statement then it is a question as he carries her along back to the Dango stand.

"Eh yeah, but I got chased out by a pervert." Her voice sounding gleeful as she spins the tale of how she knocked out her Godfather and would be teacher and Sasuke can't help but laugh. Jiriaya deserved it for all the time he had harassed Sasuke back in his previous timeline - for the man would always speak about how Naruto had been too good for someone like him, and whilst he agreed with the Sannin, his opinions and goadings hadn't been needed when they fought at random times for when they had bumped into each other - which contributed to his already less than stable mind — further rocking his foundation when thoughts of Naruto abandoning and giving up on him would flicker in during the rare occasions when he would doubt his goals and endeavours in achieving them.

So revealing her Godfathers nature as a pervert by describing his appearance , was the least Sasuke could do in this timeline- not that it would be of great consequences - but as a way to just amuse him when the man tried to get close to his Goddaughter.

"Ne Sasuke ya going to have ta hurry up 'cuz I can see the pervert coming towards us." She's yanking at his hair in an attempt at steering him in another direction from where the Sannin could be seen. He snorted at her antics because it certainly wouldn't get them far from a man known for his skills in hunting his enemies quicker than they could pull a kunai out to defend themselves.

Her attempts at getting away from her perverted Godfather were proven futile as the man skidded to a halt in front of them, looking smug at having caught up to his wayward Goddaughter, who looked less than impressed as she placed her chin on Sasuke's head, finger already out and pointing at him;

"You pervy old man, stop following me. I thought you said I wasn't your type?!" Naruto's voice was loud as she said that, causing heads to turn their ways as they assessed the situation, before going back to their business as they spotted the Sannin who wave their curiosity off.

"And I stand by my words you insolent brat."

"Oh yeah, will you still be saying that after you see this.." And Sasuke didn't know whether to dash his idiot off from the Hokage Monument or run a Chidori through her as she breezed through the hand signs for her oiroke no jutsu, showcasing her future physique for all these men to ogle at as nose bleeds erupted from all those close by, soon followed by her Godfather who was grinning lecherously at her.

A sound a of disgust escaped from Naruto as she proceeded, to once again, kick her Godfather in his prized jewels, causing him to lose consciousness, before interlocking her hands with Sasuke as they fled down the street and towards the Uchiha District, her laugh tinkering in their wake.

And as they came to halt once in the comfort of the District, Sasuke was quick to berate Naruto in her use of that perverted Jutsu of her, bunching his hands in her shirt, pulling her close to him;

"I've got a promise I want you to make to me."

"You do?" And Sasuke feels a bit remorseful as he takes in her eager face, but he pushes it aside, he was doing it for her own good after all."

"Promise me that you won't ever use that Jutsu of yours again." She lets out a squawk of disbelief, jumping away from him and Sasuke has to refrain himself from bringing her back into his arms.

"Bu..but you saw how good it worked on that pervert!"

"Exactly." It comes out haughty and he's off receiving an unimpressed look from Naruto.

"No way am I making a promise like that to you bastard. It helped me defeat a pervert, do you understand how cool that is teme?!" He lets out a frustrated sigh knowing that he had begun a loosing battle and Naruto was not about to change her mind and Sasuke wondered why his idiot had so stubborn when it came to them having differences in beliefs, such as this time round. He just didn't want others seeing things they weren't allowed to see. Why could she not understand that.

But then again, this was Naruto, her name spoke for her when her words or actions couldn't.

Heaving a sigh, he walked up to her, poking her head, " _Usuratonkachi."_ causing her to smile the smile that had enamored and captured his attention all those years ago - despite the derogatroy word he used, but both knew it was Sasuke's twisted way of showing that he cared.

"You gotta stop coming up with weird promises for me to make, makes you seem like a right bastard ya know."

"I know"

"And this why I love you teme, so don't you ever change on me okay." And Sasuke wonders if now is good time to return those three words, and as he goes to return them, he instead settles for a;

"Me too Naruto."

-/


	7. Tales Of A (Wo)Man Long Gone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be the last update until Jan 25 2021 because assignments are due and exams are around the corner. Hope you enjoy this chapter and sorry for any mistakes you may encounter!!

He was a pervert as much as he was a hero — and despite such flaw in the man, Naruto had truly come to adore Jiriaya as they spent time together — he weaving tales of man and woman long gone; both who were known as Konoha’s Yellow Flash and Konoha’s Red-Hot Habanero — and she listening to him with rapt attention, soaking in every word and hand gesture used to tell the tale.

They would sit under Hashirama’s tree — sharing a popsicle as he weaved her tales of a man considered a war hero, _a legend;_

“.... _but as Shinobi’s, there’s this motto we have to look underneath the underneath, and Minato — despite his wimpy and girly looking appearance — was a force to be reckoned with, having taken down a whole army of Iwa-nins by himself in the Third Great Ninja war, obliterating their men and forces, leading Konoha to victory and his name entering the bingo book with a flee on sight - do not engage order.”_

And there were times, were he would lecture her about what it meant to be a Shinobi;

” _...as Shinobi’s we will be forced to take on missions that will go against our sense of morality for the sake of our village — and whilst some Shinobi’s may not have a hard time in carrying out such heinous crimes for the sake of said village , it is because they have been programmed to believe that they are tools to be wielded by their Hokage — and that isn’t what makes a Shinobi though. A Shinobi is a person who puts others before themselves, a person who puts comrades before mission, and if possible completing their missions effectively whilst saving the life of their comrade. A Shinobi is more than a tool to be used. The true measure of a shinobi is not how he lives, but how he dies and what he had done moments before his end. So remember this Naruto, live your life as though you are protecting your dream.”_

Or he would talk her ears off about the three prohibitions for Shinobi;

_”Every parents informs their children about the three prohibitions for Shinobi’s, and whilst it may not be a big deal to some — loosing yourself to such things will lead you to reap more consequences than you can sow. So listen carefullt to what the three prohibitions are; Alcohol, women or men in your case and money. So don’t become like me — indulging yourself in the wonders of women and money alike.”_

Or when he would talk to her about his dreams of World Peace and ending the cycle of hatred ;

_“....when people get hurt, they learn to hate... when people hurt others, they become hated and racked with guilt. But knowing that pain allows people to be kind. Pain allows people to grow... and how you grow is up to you.”  
_

“ _It’s petty things such as ideology, resources, spite, love or simply living, existing, that people take it as a good enough reason to start a war. And as long as humanity exists, hate will also exist.”_

 _”I believe in order to attain such goal as peace, we must feel and understand each other’s pain and come to an understanding, because only then, can peace be_ _attained_.”

Or he would speak about his failures and how he would like to repent for them; 

_”....my life has been nothing but failures; continually rejected by Tsunade, unable to stop my friend, and unable to protect either my student and mentor. Compared to the great deeds of a Hokage, my actions are trifling, insignificant things indeed. I wish I would die a death of a Hokage, but I’ve lived through trails of honing my abilities, and indeed they are not comparable to one of a Hokages, so I’ll settle with accomplishing a deed so great, that it will obliterate all my failures moments before my death. And I hope someday, I can live to achieve my dreams and the death that I want.”  
_

Or how he would speak as though he was entrusting his dreams to her if he was unable to accomplish them...

“e _ven I can tell that hatred is spreading. I wanted to do something about it ... but I don't know what ... but I believe ... that someday the day will come when people truly understand one another!! If I can't find the answer, it will be up to you to do it!!”_

....and it’s moments like those between them, that Naruto realises that despite their short time together, she doesn’t want to ever disappoint this man who had taught her more than the academy had. This man who hadn’t treated her with disdain once his eyes had fallen on her, and who had treated her like a _normal_ citizen, and not the _monster_ other people thought her to be. This man who was already entrusting his dream in a small, insignificant person like her -- whilst he had a reputation to level mountains was enough for Naruto to know that she wasn't as insignificant as she was lead to believe -- because if a man like _Jiriaya_ could invest time and knowledge in her, who was she to belittle and think so low of herself. 

And it’s that realisation, that has her making a promise to him, a promise that she would make a reality through, blood, sweat and tears, because his dreams, had become hers; 

“If by any reason you don’t live long enough to accomplish your dreams, I promise you that I’ll bring true and ever lasting peace as well as getting rid of the hatred present in the Shinobi world. It’s a promise of a lifetime ttebayo!”

He laughs as he pats her head, eyes fond, _believing and not mocking like many would if there were to hear such childish naivety leave her mouth, but not him, not Jiriaya, never Ero-sennin, for their dreams was one and the same_ ;

”Of course you will, after all, you are named after the main protagonist of my story. You’ll go onto doing great things Naruto, and hopefully, I’ll be there every step of the way.”

And Naruto wonders if this is what it feels like to have a father, to have someone truly believe in you, when you yourself didn’t. To have someone who encouraged you to a goal thought to be one of childhood innocence and naivety. Truly, Jiriaya was one of a kind. And Naruto doesn’t know what overcomes her as she throws herself at him, her arms latching onto his waist as she buries her face in his stomach — warmth settling into the pits of her abdomen as she inhales the masculine scent of a man who had become so dear to her in such little days. 

”Promise me, promise me you’ll always come back to me.”

“Whether it was coincidence or fate that brought me to you sooner than I expected, just know that when we part ways, that we'll meet again, I don't know when or where or how. But I know we'll meet again and hopefully on some sunny day.”

And to both, it’s a promise of a lifetime. Wherever one is, the other would soon follow behind, because a bond between a Godfather and Goddaughter is unbreakable as much as it is irreplaceable. _Not that they knew that as of yet._

*****  
  


Summer comes to an end as it makes way for shorter days and longer nights, the biting chill caressing the forefingers of its owners, and with seasons diverging from one to another, change also comes knocking on the Uchiha District.

The tragedy that had fallen upon them mere months ago had brought light to situations hidden deep within Konoha underground sewers such as ROOTs continued existence as well as grilling Danzo for information in regards to him misleading the Uchiha clan on the night of the Kyuubi incident and the what seemed to be the irreversible consequences it had done..

And whilst Danzo was able to worm his way out of interrogation and laying the blame on one of his unsuspecting ROOT ANBU’s, it didn’t deter the Hokage from keeping a closer eye on the war hawk. And with Sasuke having fed Naruto few and far between information regarding Danzo -- which she had passed on to Jiriaya — it was enough to plant the seed of doubt in Jiriaya, for Sasuke knew that that man would go to any lengths in taking down Danzo if it meant protecting his Goddaughter.

And despite such dirty tactic in using Naruto and Jiriaya to accomplish one of his goals, Sasuke assured himself that he was doing it for the good of Konoha and creating a better village for Itachi, Naruto and the few others that hard wormed their way into his steel trap heart.

And as Winter gave into spring, the relationship between the Uchiha clan and the villagers had only improved by a hair width — and despite them having been integrated with their fellow Shinobi clans and not restricted to the Uchiha Police force, lashes of soft spoken words were muttered behind their backs. And whilst Sasuke was still bitter about his clans treatment, he supposes little change is better than no change and being impatient wouldn’t do him no good.

So he simply watches from a backstage curtain as life goes on in a mundane fashion as nonexistent relationships continues to improve as Summer comes by once again.

And as evening makes way for night, and Naruto comes sneaking into his room, seeking his comfort, he hadn't truly expected her to be so observing of the relationship between his clan and the villagers when she spoke,

"They treat and look at you guys the same way they do with me. I don't like it." She whispers into the dark, interlocking their fingers.

"In life, you will meet people who detest your existence reasons beyond comprehension, believing you to be not worthy of the gift that is life, and its people like them, that shouldn't matter to you for they are simply afraid because they know that you wield power beyond their imagination, power that can level mountains, and because they are afraid of the power dormant in you and the tragedy it can cause, so instead of teaching you to harness it and use it for good, they settle for shunning your existence, verbally abusing you and taking their anger out on, just because."

"So they are afraid of the power the clan wields."

"Essentially, yes but the difference between me and you is that we are deserving of their hate -- not all of us, but the majority. Their hatred towards you is the consequence of the actions of an Uchiha man thought long dead. I am sorry you had to bear their consequences for you truly have become the scapegoat for one too many individuals grief."

"yo..you mean you know why everyone truly hates me. Why they call me a monster."

Sasuke doesn't bother lying as he mentally curses himself for slipping up.

"Yes."

"Are you going to tell me?" It comes out a broken whisper, and Sasuke simply brings her smaller frame to his.

"Do you want to know?" 

"I deserve to know." Her voice firm as she buries herself into his chest and Sasuke tightens his arms around her.

"The nine-tails Jinchuriki. _Konoha's human sacrifce."_

-/


	8. Where Dreams Exists, Reality Follows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So y’all remember how three days ago I said I ain’t gonna update until the end of next month, turned out it a lie ‘cuz doing assignments and revising equates to writing and publishing new chaps😽😭 
> 
> P.s, updates may be scarce until I’m done with exams 😪🙄

Thoughts are poisonous and the cause of self destruction and self loathing, Naruto thinks later that night as she listens to Sasuke’s soft snores — their conversation replying in her mind like a broken cassette.

Her life had essentially been snatched from her tiny hands long before she could even gurgle. Changed into a weapon to be used against enemies because of the being who was trapped inside of her _against their will._ And Naruto wonders if the Kyuubi hates being confined in a silly human like her — trapped and to be later used as a weapon for war, striking fear and tragedy to those who would come across them. 

And Naruto thinks it’s unfair to the both of them — they both hadn’t chosen this, especially her but Kyuubi had attacked Konoha, so maybe this was his punishment — being trapped in her and to live a life of servitude in her name. It seems like a passable reason she supposes, but that wasn’t it though for Sasuke had said the only way to ‘defeat’ a tailed beast is to contain it in someone — and she had been chosen to be the unfortunate soul to be it’s container — so it wasn’t a matter of punishment for neither her or Kyuubi, but a matter of ensuring more lives survived. And Naruto understood, but it didn’t keep the questions at bay, such as why it had to be her and why the villagers thought her to be the Kyuubi. Because Sasuke had said they were two different beings, separated by a seal, so why had they delusioned themselves into thinking she was a monster, when the real monster lived in her?

But Naruto supposes the Kyuubi can’t be that bad, _can’t be a monster_ , because despite having attacked Konoha, the Being had saved her by lending its chakra to her that night months ago, (Sasuke had explained), so the Kyuubi couldn’t be as bad as they were lead to believe and was maybe just simply..misunderstood, like her. _Because monsters don’t help others._ And because Naruto remembered the sentiment feelings present in the Kyuubi’s chakra — _anger, pain, suffering and longing._

_It sounded logical enough for her nine year old mind to think that a Being such as the Kyuubi could be misunderstood. Because everyone misunderstood the kind of person she was. So Naruto concludes that only idiots don’t look from different perspectives._

And whilst Naruto is angry that she had been turned into a weapon against her will, it’s Ero-Sennins words that flashes to the forefront of her mind. That Shinobi’s are not tools to be wielded and that being individuals with wills, they are to dictate what kind of Shinobi they would become. So Naruto supposes she’ll thwart their plans into using her and her companion? into a weapon to be wielded and become comrades or even friends with the Being, and stop whatever foolish plans they have in regards to her and her new would-soon-to-be-friend.

And Naruto knows it’s a silly notion, a silly wishful thinking, a childish dream even, because as far as she can deduced, the Kyuubi had killed thousands of people, and her parents being among them, so to easily dismiss? No, forgive a Being known as the epitome of hate and evil was a bit idiotic, but it’s the little small fact that despite wanting to have parents — hers had perished and she would never know them either personally or indirectly, for the Hokage refused to tell her about them— so it wasn’t like she could wholeheartedly hate the Kyuubi for something she never had, and despite having played a huge role in the events that took part in her childhood, Naruto didn’t care.

Because if that hadn’t happened, she might have not met Sasuke and his family who had in return become her family. So whilst she lost, she had also gained. So in some twisted way, the Kyuubi could be considered forgiven and Naruto supposes it’s balances out , and it was her who now owed the Kyuubi for having saved her on the night of the semi massacre in the Uchiha District.

So Naruto supposes it’s a good way to repay the debt by not letting them both be used as weapons to be wielded, despite how absurd the notion sounded and hopefully, somewhere down the line, she and Kyuubi could become comrades and he could tell her why he had attacked Konoha.

It sounded nice enough to her ears, but Naruto knew it would be a far cry from easy and she was basically signing her death warrant for wanting to communicate with a feared being who could level worlds, just to create an alliance between them, but it would only be her who suffered from its backlash if it didn’t go to plan, and as much as an idiot Naruto was, she was persistent optimist and didn’t give up, so she would befriend that fox, and everything would work out, because she was Uzumaki Naruto. 

_Her name spoke for her when her words and actions couldn’t!_

*****  
  


Luck wasn’t something Naruto truly believed in, because luck tended to favour those of wealth and status, and she was neither. She was just Uzumaki Naruto, the poor, orphaned clan-less girl, who’s dreams were as unattainable as the moon.

So when sleep enclosed her that night — and instead of being surrounded by endless Ichiraku Ramen and different flavoured ramens that were still nonexistent, dancing around her, she was plunged into a shadowed darkness, light enough for her to see and know she was in a sewer , with murky water dancing at her feet and not feeling it soak the hem of her pants.

”This is so weird ttebayo.” Came her soft voice as she continued to follow the pipe lines, finally coming to a stop at an open door, leading to a spacious flooring, where the gleaming grey of metal bars shone. 

Walking towards it, warm breath enclosed her, but to her annoyance, Naruto couldn’t tell who or where it came from.

“Man this definitely a weird dream.” She scratched her head, willing her mind to change into her usual ramen landscape dream, which proved futile no matter how many times she bashed her head against her hands.

Huffing, Naruto made her way further towards the metal bars, hands encircling around them, face pushed between two metals as she turned her head left and right, hoping to see anything of interest.

And just as she was about to give up, soft breathing drew closer and the not so silent sound of paws vibrating beneath the ground came reaching her oddly new sensitive ears.

“Eh who’s there ttebayo?!” 

Her answer came in the form of wide slitted eyes, followed by snout, not long after its gleaming orange fur bouncing on the light casted off by her eyes, and finally it’s nine, swishing majestic tails.

And Naruto thinks, just maybe that her idiotic wish of befriending the Kyuubi might not be so hard, because if one snap of her eyes lead to her meeting the Being, then no doubt befriending it wouldn’t be as hard.

”Ne, let’s be friends Kyuubi-san.”

  
  
*****

Freedom and peace had been his companion since the demise of his father, and since he and his siblings had spilt ways, leading their own lives.

Life, Kurama remembers, had been joyful, minding his own business as he bathed in the forests sunlight where his father had built the shrine where he and his siblings called home — paws being tickled by the luxurious, healthy green grass, as the soft wind caressed his fur.

Days, weeks, months and years had been filled chasing his own tails for excitement, capturing and playing with his food had amused him to no end before he devoured them with a snap of his jaws, enjoying the shattering of their bones. Visiting his siblings from time to time as he enjoyed wondering through their territory. It had been satisfactory and he had enjoyed his very mundane life.

He had lived decades in such peaceful tranquility, blissful and choosing to stay ignorant to the human race — for they were nothing but mindless power seeking imbeciles. 

But then came that blasted red eyed freak Uchiha Madara, stripping him bare as his freedom was snatched between his paws, forcibly bending him to a man who evil was deep rooted into. Using him as a weapon to fight his equally blasted , tree hogging freak Senju Hashirama.

And in the end, even the mightiest of men couldn’t control him — but anger had clouded him once he had broken free from the Uchiha’s submission, seeking to destroy the man who dared ruin the tranquility his life had been hours ago— and one moment of inattention, and that Senju freak had him restrained in his wood powers, leading to the enslavement of himself by one Uzumaki Mito , and soon his siblings followed after.

What followed years on after that, was no doubt the most cruelest decades of his life — used as a weapon to be wielded against his own siblings, used as a war machine in order to bring Konoha out victorious, whilst the countries that enslaved his siblings suffered and families were torn apart and tragedy lurking above their heads, ready to ensnare them in it’s ever cold grasp.

It disgusted Kurama to no end — wondering how his father could could ever belong to such a despicable race and wondered if his fathers last words that someone would reunite he and his brothers, showing them what true power was — would be nothing but a lie.

Years merged with each other and his hatred towards humans had increased — their mindless killing in the name of peace had intensified as innocent lives were lost, just as he and his siblings were used to fight for them — leaving tragedy in their wake.

And soon, he had ceased watching through Mito’s eyes, no longer able to see the world his father worked hard to create be reduced to nothing but a barren wasteland where war touched upon it one too many times. 

The years continued to pass and he was being moved from one jailer to another. 

_Uzumaki Kushina._

She was far worse than Mito, because as her powers grew, his restrictions in her mind scape increased. Staking him to a rock that stoped the freedom of his tails, as her chains wrapped around his whole being. And whilst made up of Chakra, and had no bones — claustrophobia was not something even he was immune to.

And as he spent years in Kushina’s mind, he watched through her eyes, just like Mito’s as she grew up and the world was still the same.

But there had been one boy — an Uchiha that had gained some of his respect.   
  
Uchiha Obito, he remembers, had been an innocent boy, with beliefs of achieving world peace and stopping bloodshed, helping children and elderly alike, and it was for a moment that Kurama wondered if this was the human that would reunite him and his siblings — changing the world for the better and bringing his fathers dreams to fruition.

But the young Uchiha had died years too early and Kurama had mourned for him. He had been a good soul.

And with no Uchiha Obito to keep his flames alive — he receded back into Kushina’s mind as the last of his flame died with young Obito, believing that the young individual who would be his key to freedom would not come for decades on end.

Fourteen years passed, and Kushina pregnant with a child and during the birth of her child — the man who claimed to be Uchiha Madara had stripped him bare like the original, controlling his will as he was forced to strike innocents once again, and soon later he was being torn in half — one half of him going with that blasted Namikaze brat as death enclosed him in its grasp, and the other into a young babe, Uzumaki Naruto.

His place of living in this Uzumaki was infinitely better than her mothers and Mito’s.

And once again, like he had, with his other jailers — he watched through her eyes. Watched as she was abused by those who were supposed to care and nurture for her. Watched as they belittled her, called her a monster when she nothing but an innocent bystander, who had lost more than they had, who was suffering for the actions of his consequences and that blasted imposter Uchiha Madara.

And as it continued, Kurama, dare he say it, felt for the girl, so he had taken to feeding her his Chakra so she didn’t suffer from scruvy and the likes. She was innocent and needn’t have to suffer because of him.

So it continued until the age of eight, when an Uchiha boy who had befriended her — and Kurama wondered if this boy was anything like young Obito. And he wasn’t. He was wise beyond his years — as though he was an old soul travelling in the body of a young boy.

But he paid it no mind as their friendship blossomed. How the boys family had become hers. And Kurama was a tad great-full to him. The Uchiha boy was of no threat and was worth of his Jinchuriki for he had lessened the festering loneliness in the blonde Uzumaki.

And as he continued watching through her eyes, the world was still the same but there was a semblance of peace that wasn’t there during Mito’s and Kushina’s era. But soon, tragedy strikes in the clan that had bread the likes of Uchiha Madara, that clan that produced a man like Obito who was worthy of his respect, the clan that had taken care of his Jinchuriki despite the majorities less than stellar opinion on her.

Their little civil war had disgusted Kurama— family fighting against family was something he didn’t condone, but it wasn’t his business — so he pushed it to the back of his subconscious.

And as it carried on, and his young Uzumaki was in danger, he had no qualms about lending his power to her for she was none the wiser of his existence and deserved better than to be tortured by the likes of a coward Shinobi — as that man held her hostage. She was merely a kit and deserved to live longer than the Young Uchiha Obito had.

So, it passed and days merged into months as he continued watching through her eyes. And one night, she had been conversing with her Uchiha when he had apologised for the abuse she suffered at the hands of the villages was because of the actions of a man long gone from his clan. And that lead to the revelation of his existence of him in her, and Kurama wondered how the little brat had known, but he pushed it aside in favour of awaiting the standard hate that came with knowing his existence.

Hours later, he feels the presence of his current Jinchuriki, and there’s no fear or hostility in her towards him and it has him perplexed. But it’s nothing compared to the words she utters once he reveals himself.

And it’s the same feeling he had with young Uchiha Obito in him, but brighter and stronger and unwavering. And Kurama hopes again for the second time since his enslavement.

_Because this child....this Uzumaki, was a means to an end and his father hadn’t lied._

_His fathers legacy had become her inheritance and Kurama knows, everything would turn out alright in the end. Because this was his fathers chosen one._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My take on Kurama— sorry if it’s a bit ooc but I tried lol


	9. The Blind Genius - Uchiha Itachi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so short and I hate it and it feels so rushed but it is what it is and hopefully the next chapter is better and longer and Happy New Year🥳 Hopefully this won’t be a crappy years but who knows.
> 
> Sorry for any mistakes you may encounter, hope you enjoy!!!

”...and speaking of that, Kurama promised to tell me what really happened on the day he attacked Konoha. But the way he said it sounded like he didn’t want to attack us and that he was forced by someone else. And that proves that he really just is a big grumpy ball of fur who likes to insult me and is misunderstood just like me ttebayo.” She chatters on, playing with his hair as they sit near the swing, waiting for lunch to come to an end.

She was a future war hero with a penchant for befriending her enemies and allies alike, so he’s not truly shocked when Naruto tells him she’s befriended the Kyuubi weeks later, but as Sasuke processes her words of how the Bijuu promised to tell her the actual events that took place during her birth — it brings forth an uncomfortable feeling deep within him, and it’s for a moment that he wishes Naruto hadn’t found about her status as a Jinchuriki as well as cursing that naive heart of hers that sings to befriend foes and strangers alike — because whatever truth is revealed to her, may cause her to look at his clan in a different light, and despite having subtly told her of his clans part in her childhood, Sasuke knows Naruto hadn’t truly understood and her attention had been focused on the fact he knew why she was hated. _But Sasuke knows it’s his fault that she had found out in the first place, so who was he to curse her to the seven pits of hell?_

But it’s her smile that’s so genuine and pure at accomplishing such unimaginable feat, and the promise of finding out the truth behind Kurama’s attack, that has all those thoughts flying out his head. And there’s also a proud and a smug satisfaction in him to know that Naruto would be as unpredictable as ever, and he was the only one who would be somewhat immune to it. So instead of damming his poor idiot, he should focus on congratulating her stupidity.

”Is he now.” It comes out as a drawl, and mere moments later, Naruto’s face is right infront of his, hair hanging around them like a curtain, blocking any unwanted attention away from them. 

“Yeah, you can even meet him if ya want. The bastards always asking about ya as well. Hope he ain’t replacing me with you.” She scowls at him, bumping their forehead together as she says that and Sasuke let’s out a soft snort at such an absurd thought of the Kyuubi replacing him with Naruto — internally wondering at how he had captured the Bijuus attention, but with Naruto being _friends with it_ , it’s safe to believe that she may have chatted the Beings ear off about him, to the point were the Kyuubi wanted to meet him. _He hoped he was wrong in his speculation but knowing Naruto, it was a slim chance he would be wrong._

”I think I should be the worried one here. Your pet fox is stealing you away from me.” He teases instead, as he curls his index finger around her hair, eyes dancing with amusement, and Sasuke adores hearing her laughter as she clasps her free hand with his.

”Not a chance teme, you can’t get rid of me that easily.” And Sasuke knows that intimately for he had a lifetime of experience tucked under his belt in trying to outright shun her existence— dismissing her as she chased after him time and time again. An idiot he had been in trying to rid himself of her when she had brought forth the human in him, making him a better person. But it’s no good worrying about the past when he has a chance at fixing his wrongs.

And with their conversation coming to an end, and the day flittering by in a swirl of colours , Itachi comes whisking him away from the academy as Naruto throws herself in the arms of her Godfather — wanting to spend more time with the man before he was due to leave again.

”See you later Sasuke.” She shouts at him from her Godfathers shoulders and he grunts in reply, hands coming to latch onto his brothers shirt— causing a small smile to flitter across on the older brothers face at such childlike act. 

And as the duo continue to walk, Itachi takes a different turn, leading them towards the Naka river — both now standing side by side as they watch the swirling tides of the river becoming one with each other.

They don’t speak for a while and Sasuke feels nerved at such silence between them — it feels suffocating somehow, as though Itachi is delving deep into his soul, stripping him naked, unraveling all his secrets to be seen by many and Sasuke knows Itachi is capable of such feat. And it’s for a moment, that Sasuke wants to go back to being just Itachi and Sasuke. The Uchiha Prodigy and his little brother.

”You’ve changed Sasuke.” Itachi is the first to break the silence , his voice somber as he says those words.

And Sasuke can’t help but agree with that statement, _because he has changed. War had changed him. Itachi had changed him. Naruto had changed him. His experiences has changed him._ But he can’t say that to Itachi. Itachi doesn’t deserve to be burdened with a past long gone. One that ceased to exist the moment he was bestowed with a second chance to right his wrongs.

”You also have changed Niisan. It’s an inevitable process, it happens to the best of us.” 

“You’ve misunderstood me Sasuke.” His brother says, voice unusually soft as his eye turn towards his younger brother, Sharingan active and Sasuke feels his heart lodge in his throat at such an act— but his fear of facing his brother doesn’t stop his instincts from kicking in, his own sharingan whirling into existence.

Itachi carries on, not batting an eye at his brothers stance — eyes full of understanding and...and some other emotion that Sasuke can’t exactly pinpoint, but it looks eerily similar to guilt.

”You have the eyes of a protector. Albeit a misguided, guilt driven one. Eyes that have seen and experienced war. War has touched your frame hasn’t it foolish little brother of mine.” It’s more of a statement then it is a question and Sasuke feels as though everything he had worked hard to maintain was crumbling to dust as he faces off with his beloved brother.

But then this is Uchiha Itachi, a prodigy — a genius in his own right. He’s a man who doesn’t dismiss any possibilities despite how absurd it may be or sound. An answer will always be an answer to him if he can find enough evidence to back up his theories. And Sasuke shouldn’t be surprised that his brother had been _assessing him, analysing him, piecing together whatever evidence he had left in his wake._

But Itachi shouldn’t have to. Shouldn’t have to burden himself with his little brother’s foolish mistakes — fixing his cracks when he’s already done more than enough. But Sasuke knows that at this point, nothing will stop Itachi from unraveling the whole truth — no matter how many times he pokes his brothers on his forehead with a ‘maybe next time Itachi.’ He doesn’t want Itachi to be part of his journey to redemption — it wouldn’t be fair on either of them.

“Itachi...” His voice cracks, the telltale sign that everything he has locked up since his second chance was about to explode in a torrent, ready to tear him apart. His brother simply bends down to one knee, tugging him into his embrace and Sasuke can’t help but latch onto his brother — seeking comfort within his arms — willing the tears to not fall, telling himself that it’s alright to be weak in-front of family.

“You are still a child Sasuke. Do not burden yourself with whatever mistakes you may have made. Grow from them... and do not think yourself above from asking for help. I’ll always be here for you Sasuke, no matter what.” And Sasuke knows Itachi speaks the truth, for the man had said similar words to him when he had been nothing but a walking corpse — but still, he couldn’t do this to Itachi, always relying on him to fix his problems for him. He wouldn’t grow by being so reliant on his big brother.

And as if sensing his brothers confliction and his inner turmoil, the older brother tightens Sasuke in his embrace. “Am I not your brother Sasuke?” And at those words, Sasuke can feel his tears leaking onto his brothers shirt.

”Life hasn’t been easy on me aniki.” He mutters into Itachi’s chest.

“I know Sasuke, but know I’ll always be here for you, foolish little brother of mine.” So Sasuke supposes having one person to confine in wouldn’t hurt, and since this was Itachi, everything may turn out even better in the end because Itachi would always steps ahead, having contingency plan within a contingency plan. So maybe, just this once, being dependent on Itachi wouldn’t hurt as much as he thought it would be and the positives would outweigh the negatives by a mile.

”You promise?” 

“Always Sasuke.”

_So Sasuke supposes he can let Itachi be his pillar of stability until he’s finished saving the world._

-/


	10. A Phantom Of The Past

“...and it was through the mindless bloodshed and killing that has taught me a valuable lesson — a harsh but valuable — that War is Peace, and Peace is nothing but a farce, because as humans, _as Shinobi’s,_ guilt, fear and resentment is what drives us to believe that killing off our enemies ensures the safety of our loved ones. But what we don’t realise is that it’s a short term solution for our actions. Because it’s our nature to be greedy and unforgiving and cruel. And that means we’ll kill those who killed our precious ones. And whilst I had been the one to deal the final blow, Danzo had been the one who lead you down a path you had no choice but to follow. So killing him had been my last act in cleansing your name, but I became too greedy, too unforgiving and wanted the world to know what they put you through. And make no mistake Itachi, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

Itachi listens with a heavy heart, bile churning in the pits of his stomach as he brother speaks of the crimes he’s committed in his name, how he had lost himself — lost his humanity and the last of his innocence _because_ of the torture _he_ had put his brother through in order to protect him. And Itachi wonders if Sasuke hadn’t manipulated Shisui into carrying out a quick assassination, if history would repeat it’s self and his foolish little brother would suffer the same fate — drowning in guilt and grief at letting everything stay the same when he had the power to change everything. And it’s that thought that has Itachi damning himself, _damning his Hokage, Danzo, the Uchiha council and especially his clan for loving so hard that it twists and wraps itself into hatred as soon as their reason of living ceases to exist._  
  
And Itachi wonders why his clan had to be blessed with such a cursed Dójustu - why the Uchiha curse was so dominant in Sasuke, and why had _he_ been the one to awaken it so forceably in his brother. And Itachi wondered, if he had known this.. if his other self had known this would be the outcome , would they have laughed and stumbled with a little Sasuke towards and end that was bitter and cold?

And as Itachi goes to apologise for all his crimes against Sasuke...the words lodge in his throat, unable to come out....

Because... 

He’s not one for apologies but even he knows saying ‘sorry Sasuke’ wouldn’t be enough to wipe him clean because his brother is far too gone, far too broken — carrying the sins of a brother long dead with his own sins sitting ablaze on his shoulders as well as the internal scars that would forever remind him of what he had been once. And it’s for a moment that Itachi wants to carry all his brothers burden, relieve him of his guilt, set him free because in his eyes, Sasuke will always be his little brother and it will always be his _duty as the big brother to protect and look after Sasuke._

But he cannot for he’s a lifetime too late. A lifetime in which his brother had sought justice and peace through the wrong means and in the end, carrying the punishment of those who had ignited the flames of his guilt — he, himself being among them, being the first. _And it sickens Itachi._ He hates that it’s his fault that his foolish, idiotic little brother had walked down a road of vengeance and retribution— all for his sake. And what had Sasuke gained out of his endeavours? Nothing but pain and misery. And here Itachi thought himself to be the ideal brother when he was furthest thing from being the ideal brother everyone thought him to be. 

He doesn’t deserve Sasuke, not now, not ever because this boy — this little boy who always cried for him, begged for his attention, who had a big brother complex — had fought for him even after his supposed death in a timeline that vanished into existence. And Itachi doesn’t know whether to be proud or guilt ridden at such dedication towards him — so he settles on both, because truly, what he felt was of small significance in the wider picture. He had to make sure Sasuke didn’t live in another hell on Earth because he owed his brother this and more and Itachi may not know how to make up for years of mental abuse he’s caused Sasuke — but he’s a man of his word and he’d protect Sasuke. And not in the manner he had in Sasuke’s previous lifetime — but in the manner were he acted like a real brother, protecting him from all harm and making him none the wiser of his endeavours— of his path to redemption and atoning for the sins of his counterpart.

_After all, he owed it to his foolish brother.... who may not be as foolish as he deemed him to be._

*****

Grief, Kakashi realises, is bittersweet and melancholy, because when one grieves for another, it’s a hard pill to swallow that the person they are grieving for will never return and their fate had been sealed long before their birth. That their death had been written, and set accordingly, and no amount of detours and manipulation in life could change it.

It was a set process — secure in it’s will and never changing. Setting the reality that they would forever cease to exist in nothing but memories for some, and in writings for the world to read about their adventures.

 _like his father....._ _followed by Obito.... t_ _hen Rin....and not long after Minato and Kushina._

They fell, one after the other — like domino pieces — and he the only man left standing. And as Kakashi stands before carved stones — reminiscing of legends long gone — he wonders which one of his next precious people would lay beneath his feet as they leave nothing but bittersweet memories of themselves and he in the torture device that is his mind — would it be Gai in all his green glory who would fall into deaths clasps, leaving him in a world that is nothing but a morbid reflection of himself — or would it be Naruto, the blonde sunshine he had never dared interact with for fear of his touch poisoning her, withering her into becoming nothing but a burnt out sun as she flickers out of this wretched world?

And Kakashi knows such thoughts are considered to be morbid and horrifying - but with a man like him who’s nothing but washed out cloud — it seems a reasonable question for he’s outlived many lives— leaving him to be their unwilling successor and Kakashi hates it.

Hates how how they gaze at him — _expecting, judging, believing—_ and he just hates it. They see the phantoms of legends gone in his wake — merging with his own twisted soul and Kakashi wonders if these people walked a mile in his shoes — would they be so willing to carry legacies of heroes long gone when they could do nothing but bow before carved stones from sunrise to sunset? Wallowing in grief and self hatred that leaves you wanting to howl, beg, scream and cry till your vocal cords collapses on you? He doubts so because they’re nothing but blissful imbeciles who have been protected from the horror that consumes their world — living a life of tranquility as men and women of hardship fight to keep what little peace that has touched upon their world — seducing them into its falsified legends but Kakashi knows better — Peace is nothing more than a word, a child’s belief, because men have tried and failed to attain such thing. 

But Kakashi cares for nothing such as peace for he had been still a babe when sent out to fight a grown man’s battle. It was there he had learnt that war and peace were just as intertwined as life and death was — and that where one was , the other followed, both co-dependent on each other, thriving in each other’s glory and Kakashi thinks it’s a beautiful thing in a disturbing sort of way. But he doesn’t dwell on such naivety that is known as peace....

untill he was ensnared in the conviction in Jiriaya’s voice as he entrusts his dream to his goddaughter — and she swearing on her honour as a future Shinobi to make his dream a reality. And it’s the conviction in both their voices that has Kakashi’s ideologies and belief surrounding peace flattering — because as far as he knows ( _as everyone knows),_ Jiriaya had already achieved a semblance of peace that was still fragile but nonetheless still there. _Planting the seed of hope in children and adults who’s innocence and naivety hasn’t been snatched from their grasps._ And whilst that in itself wasn’t enough to rock his foundation silly, it was enough to make a small dent that was already festering with ‘what ifs.’ But Kakashi doesn’t given in to it just yet. He has no valid reason to.

And as the two part ways, he follows to make himself scarce, but the war hero is before his eyes — who’s eyes crinkle with understandment and a pain that is only shared between kith and kin. And no matter how much Kakashi may deny it, Jiriaya had become something of an uncle to him for the man had taken him under his wing after Minato’s death (for that man had been one of their precious people), but because Kakashi had seen himself as a _week, pitiful little boy who needed to be comforted,_ he had fled from the Sannin - only letting himself be in his presence when the man would encounter his days spent with Naruto.

”You know Kakashi, I think it’s time you let go. Nine years of mourning is a long time. You no longer are the little boy with a burden as big as the world, but an adult who has a little girl waiting to meet him. I’ll be gone for three years this time and that means Naruto won’t see me until she’s twelve. Take this as a chance to step up to your responsibilities and be the brother you have always wanted to be. And maybe, Naruto will be enough reason for you to _live_ your life. There’s still time for redemption Kakashi, so do not wallow in self pity and take the chance that has been so clearly offered to you more than once before it’s too late.”   
  
And despite the words being harsh, Kakashi understands but that doesn’t mean he likes hearing such brutal honesty. Doesn’t like how this _man_ is able to so easily pick apart his broken shards that he had put together for years on end, causing them to crumble to dust by mentioning his not so subtle desire in wanting to be a family with Naruto. 

But despite that, Jiriaya had been wrong in one aspect in his speech. Because for as long as Kakashi had known about little Naruto’s birth, she had already wormed her way into his heart. And when they had both lost the same parental figures that night, he had latched onto the girl — living for her because she deserved to have someone who knew her parents. But he hadn’t truly tried in getting to know her because of the fear that clutched at his heart causing him to flee. Because for as long as Kakashi has known himself, everyone he’s loved and spent time with, always died, leaving him alone in a cold and bitter world, and he didn’t want that with Naruto. _Didn’t want to outlive Naruto._

So he had settled from watching her from afar as she befriended the Uchiha clan and later her Godfather. He settled with getting to know her _indirectly_ no matter how much it hurt and his heart ached to hold the girl in his arms, whispering to her about her parents and their adventures. Whispering to her about a boy named Obito who’s blinding personality was akin to hers and about their tragic rivalry turned friendship. Whispering to her about a girl named Rin who was an aspiring medic who protected her teammates and village till her end. Whispering to her about heroes and legends long gone who would have become her family if tragedy never striked upon them

But with this seeming to be his last chance, Kakashi supposes he could set aside his fear because for as long as he had known Gai, that man hadn’t fallen into deaths grasp so maybe Naruto wouldn’t... and maybe he wasn’t cursed and the tragedy that had fallen to Sakumo, Obito, Rin, Minato and Kushina had been inevitable and was set long before their birth. So maybe, this time it may not be him who would outlive Naruto and Naruto would be the one to see him off — bowing before carved stones as she weaves him tales of her adventures that she would have without him. _And Kakashi finds comfort in such thought, blossoming a hope in him that he wants to see become a reality._

So maybe, just maybe, having Jiriaya pick apart his broken shards he called his soul and personality wasn’t a bad thing, _and he could let himself drown in the luxury that was known as family...and maybe just this once, the odds wouldn’t be against them_.

-/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any mistakes you may have encountered, hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are welcomed :)


	11. Of Bloodstained Souls and New Bonds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more descriptive then it is narrative but eh, hope you enjoy it and sorry for any mistakes you may encounter.

She’d seen it once before in Jiraiya, Itachi, Shisui and sometimes Sasuke. So when she first laid eyes on Hatake Kakashi, Naruto wondered how young had he been when he experienced his first intimate touch with war? How many battles he lost and won? How many lives he had taken, drowning himself in their blood as his guilt overwhelmed him? And how many of his precious people he had lost before his very own eyes? Naruto thought him to be a far more broken version than Itachi and Shisui because whilst they had stability and people to lean on, it seemed to be the opposite for the Silver haired man. As though with every breath he took, a fragment of his soul cracked and became one with the wind, leaving him out to be nothing more than a washed out canvas, ready to be repainted and brought back to it’s former glory with a simple stoke of a brush. 

The second and third time she laid her eyes upon Kakashi, Naruto thinks that he misses the fear and exhilaration that came on being in the battlefield. Because the way his fingers would twitch at the littlest shift of the wind, spine straightening like a metal rod when the leaves rustled in his wake, and his eyes ravishing his surroundings with blatant eagerness made Naruto realise that War had intertwined itself so deeply in Kakashi’s life - as though war had been tailored to fit his body as it seduced him in its tragedy -- becoming a fundamental element in his life, for the adrenaline and thrill that thrummed in his veins was undeniably potent in his muscle memory, waiting to explode after seemingly being kept under layers of grief and self loathing. Naruto thinks it’s admirable in some ways but dislikes how Kakashi was left to carry his guilt with no pillar of stability to help mend the fragility that was his mind.

The fifth, sixth and seventh times she spent in the company of Kakashi, Naruto thinks him to be cool with his never ending aloof expressions and witty remarks. Somewhat admiring his twisted sense of humour, one that had been jaded by war, but nonetheless funny at times. And there are times when he talks about his missions with either absolute vigor and happiness— telling the tales of merchants he’s saved or kids he had made lives that much more worth living for with a simple word here and kind action there that her respect grows for him. But then there’s times were he speaks with such ferocity and hatred at missions that scream against both their morality that has Naruto questioning whether being a Shinobi would be worth it, questioning what honour meant to them and if they had any.

_"We're not Samurai's to be having honour. Shinobi's are killing machines who have forsaken their honour and morality." Kakashi had said when she had asked him about honour and Shinobi -- if the two went hand in hand with each other. His answer had been a complete contrast to Ero-Sennins belief — who believed that honour came in different forms and was different for everyone._

The eighth and ninth time she’s with Kakashi, she thinks him to be a survivor, a hero in his own rights. She listens to him weave tales about heroes turned legends who died too young -- sacrificing their lives so the next generation wouldn't have to live in a war torn land and learning from their mistakes.

She listens as Kakashi speaks to her about a girl named Nohara Rin. An aspiring medic with a heart full of compassion and love. One who cared for her teammates dearly. One that had died protecting their village. Kakashi tells her that sometimes she reminds of him of Rin because of her naivety and childlike innocence with the way she viewed the world, but he had also assured her that he still sees her as Naruto, and not legends of a past long gone that vanished into his morbid soul. 

He then tells her about himself. A prodigy with a penchant for following the rules and who’s suffered more than he thought he would. He doesn’t speak much about himself, skimming over his childhood years as though speaking about it added to his unseen punishment -- taunting him of for all his mistakes that had lead him to loosing one too many loved ones, reminding him of were his actions and beliefs had lead him to becoming what he is today. _Nothing but a walking corpse._ Naruto thinks him to be strong soul, not pushing him into spilling out his tragedies. She thinks some scars are better kept to themselves than laying it bare — letting the whole world know.

He then speaks to her about a boy named Uchiha Obito. Who’s personality rivaled that the shine of the sun and was so painfully similar to hers that Kakashi had said he saw Obito’s phantom in her wake, merging with hers as their laughter became one with each other, ringing in the confines of his mind when flashes of the war ensnared his mind. Told her that it was Obito’s and her laughter that kept most of his demons at bay when night dawned upon them. He tells her of Obito’s dream. _Her dream._ Tells her how similar alike they were and if Obito had still been alive, Naruto thinks he would have become her favourite person.

And as he speaks, weaving the tales of heroes, Naruto comes to respect Kakashi even more, because whilst war had tainted him, he hadn’t become as bitter as she believed him to be. She thought him to be a mixture of Jiriaya, Itachi and Shisui. All their good and bad mixed together to create one Hatake Kakashi.

The tenth time she’s with Kakashi is when things turn a different directions, were dreams and goals are rethought and everything isn’t as black and white as she perceived it to be. 

“What’s your goal Naruto?”

”To become Hokage so I can be respected and acknowledged by all.”

He hummed, fingers tightening against his chopsticks. “Why? Why seek acknowledgment from those who shun your existence? What good would it do to have them showering you in praises when they have lived hating you for the majority of their life?

Naruto understands why he’s asked such questions, understands that acknowledgment is hollow when it comes from the same people who shunned your existence, but for as long as Naruto could remember, being Hokage had been her goal for she had seen the respect and admiration thrown the Hokages way and thought that being in a position of power such as his, would gain her the favour of her village, and cease the idea of her being a monster. And as Naruto dwells on her answer, she realises it’s a flimsy reasoning because there was Jiriaya—a man who was no Hokage but who’s abilities surpassed being one of a Hokage, who had the respect of many, gained their acknowledgment from being a protector... 

”Aside from wanting respect and acknowledgment by becoming Hokage, what do you truly want to do...want to be?

She doesn’t know the answer to that because she’s never truly thought about _her needs_ , about what _she herself wanted._ She had been so consumed in trying to please those who saw her as nothing but a monster — the personification of the Kyuubi reincarnated as they watched her life through a backstage curtain, muttering words of poison in her wake. And who was Naruto to say that she would ever gain their respect, gain their acknowledgment and be seen as something as other than Kurama's reincarnation in human form?

What good would it bring her to mold herself into something she wasn’t just to please people who hated her entire existence? It certainly wouldn’t bring her happiness because she could fail time and time again, shaving off the years off her life until it was too late to undo years of pitiful subordination that benefited neither party and realise that she lived in the shadow of her villagers for years on end. So what did she truly want? 

And as she thought about it, Naruto realises the answer had always been there, but she had simply looked the other way, looking left when the answer was right. And more frustratingly so, the answer had become even more clear when Jiriaya had deep rooted himself in her life and heart.

And it was that realisation that being a Hokage was something she forced her mind into accepting because being Hokage meant to be acknowledged and respected. And she had spent most of her childhood chasing such silly notion in order to please others, and not herself — but then growth came in the form of Jiriaya-- and that had been what set Naruto on her new path.

She had always enjoyed it when Jiriaya told her of his adventures around the Elemental nations when collecting intel. Loved hearing about his accomplishments and the new people he would meet. The new skills and traditions and wider knowledge that would be consumed by him during his travels. The sense of freedom that came with being a shadow protector. That’s what she wanted. The _freedom_ of being in places and not being tied down to one place, protecting those she held dear to her from the outside. It sounded rejuvenating. And if she could become like Jiriaya, _but better_ and helping him in his life long dream of attaining peace whilst they traveled together, was without a doubt something she wanted to do. Because as much as she loved Konoha, the sentiment wasn’t returned. And as long as she could protect the place that meant so much to Ero-Sennin and her Uchiha’s as well as getting the freedom she had desired at the same time, Naruto thinks she’s set her mind on becoming Konohagakure’s second spy master.

She sends a beaming smile at Kakashi, who returns his own, eyes upturning as he gives her a thumbs up. 

“I’m going to become the greatest Spy Master Konoha’s ever had ttebayo!”

*****

  
Kakashi doesn’t care much for rules, doesn’t care much for anything that has to do with obedience and following authority — not since Obito’s death that is. He makes his own decisions now, makes his own rules — lives by them and scoffs at those who follow the rules like the obedient lap dogs they are. It makes him wonder when they’ll learn that there is more to being a Shinobi than following the rules. Kakashi knows it sounds hypocritical. Knows he used to be one of them — before Obito’s death — but Obito’s beliefs and the boys death itself had opened his eyes , taught him what it truly meant to be a Shinobi and it was thanks to that he understood the reason why his father saved a comrades life instead of completing the mission. Kakashi thinks his father and Obito are the mightiest men amongst men. The Epitome of what being a Shinobi meant.

But that isn’t what has him so...so... so on edge, has him so doubtful in himself and in Naruto — but it’s part of the problem somehow. Rules he can break because Kakashi knows the Hokage doesn’t want to push him towards his breaking point — leaving him to his own devices as long as he does what needs to be done. But this was different. What he was about to do was _treason. Would be seen as treason_.

And by all logics, Kakashi shouldn’t do so if he valued his life. But Kakashi doesn’t see it as treason, because the whole situation in itself was absurd and downright mind boggling that it had Kakashi questioning the Sandaime Hokage’s logic when he had sworn them to secrecy in keeping Naruto’s heritage a secret — _keeping her parents a secret as well as her being a human sacrifice._ And whilst Kakashi understood the reasoning behind the latter, he couldn’t fathom as to why telling Naruto whom her parents were would be considered to be treason. It was...so damn infuriating because no reasoning would be enough of an answer to keep one of her birthrights hidden from her, when dozen other people knew them. It’s unfair, so unfair that she was kept in the dark to suffer at their hands, blind to all the decisions and laws put in place to keep her binded to a village that wanted to milk out the advantages of having a orphan, clan-less girl who had become the unwitting personification of a demon — all watching her life unfold through a backstage curtain as they weaved strings of manipulation — and she, unwise to the chaos that blossomed in her name. 

But she was Uzumaki Naruto, the self proclaimed girl who said she would be Konoha's greatest Second Spy Master --and if Kakashi were to go by that logic -- she would no doubt find out who they were. And whilst it sounded better for her to find out about them on her own, Kakashi felt it to be his job to tell Naruto about Minato and Kushina, weaving her the tales of their courtship and adventures. And because Kakashi remembers the promise he had made himself in when he decided to became her big brother — and as his duty of being a brother, it entitled to letting her know who her parents were for she had not known them nor ever met them, so by default, as her _family,_ it fell on him to fill in blank space that was supposed to hold knowledge of her parents. 

And because Kakashi remembers — long before Naruto had befriended the second Uchiha heir — that Naruto would always ask the Hokage who her parents were — voice so pitiful as clothes too big swarmed her malnourished body, and _their beloved Hokage,_ dared lie to her with an air of indifference; ‘“ _I never knew your parents Naruto-Chan. Forgive me.”_ Turning his back on the blonde haired girl as her lower lips wobbled, hands fisted in faded out shirt, eyes glittering with unshed tears at such blatant lie that she would be none the wiser to.

And Kakashi hated it. _Hated Sarutobi for lying to his Naruto. Hated Minato for dying and leaving his daughter to be nothing more than a weapon. Hated how they dictated a simple babes life with the expectation of wanting her to sacrifice her life for them when the time called for it. Hated how they took advantage of her and she none the wiser. And overall detested how Naruto gained nothing out of this situation except for never ending pain and misery, whilst they all indulged themselves in the short lived comfort that came with having a little girl carry the weight of the world on her shoulders._

So what did it matter if he was breaking the rules or committing treason? Were they not one of the same in more ways than one? Kakashi would like to think so. He didn’t care for what punishment may be given to his person, but Kakashi knows he would bare the weight of it because in the end it was all for Naruto and he would do anything for the blonde haired Uzumaki. _And because she deserved to know who her parents were and that she was both wanted and loved by them equally._

*****

Naruto remembers the times she would sit under Hashirama's tree with Ero-Sennin as he told her tales of Konoha's Red Hot Habenaro and Yellow Flash. She doesn't know whether to feel betrayed or thankful to him because he had known who her parents were, had taught one of them and had been named her Godfather, but then, despite being sworn to secrecy, he had told her about them through stories of them, so Naruto supposes she can't be angry at her Godfather, because in the end, it wasn't he whom she felt the most angry at, but the Hokage, the man she saw as her grandfather.

He had been the first to look out for her without seeing her as a monster and simply as little Uzumaki Naruto, the first to give her a home that was hers after being thrown out the orphanage, living in the Red Light District as hunger became her sole companion throughout those bleak days. The first to befriend her before Sasuke swooped in and saved her from the loneliness that had festered within the depths of her soul. And Naruto supposes its fitting that the first person who she had come to trust and see as a friend, was the first person to betray her as he lied to her for years on end, whilst she none the wiser, believing every word that escaped a mouth that had told her more lies than truth.

And Naruto hates how her hurt aches with such pain and anger at such betrayal from her Hokage, all the while increasing the festering hate for the villages who had made childhood one filled with pain and misery. Hates how everyone had known she was Kurama's jailer, hated how the majority knew who her parents were and had lied to her, making her feel worthless as she drowned in their verbal abuse. Hated how they left her to think she was a no-name, orphan and clan-less girl who had been sacrificed to maintain what fragile peace was there. And Naruto hated the Hokage more than she thought she could ever, more than the villagers who had abused her both physically and verbally, because if he had not lied to her continually for ten years and told her she had been wanted and had parents who sacrificed themselves for her and the village -- believing that their daughter would be seen as a hero -- Naruto thinks her childhood wouldn't have been as dark and bleak as it was for she would have clung to that information like a lifeline, and maybe, just maybe, she would not have bouts of morbid thoughts in extracting revenge on those who had done her harm. But the consequences had already been reaped and Naruto doubts she could truly ever believe the Hokage's words at face value, because in the end, it would seem as though it was Kakashi and Ero-Sennin who hadn't truly hid things from her -- one going as far to break their sworn secrecy to the Hokage just so she could know that she was more than Konoha's supposed monster.

-/


	12. The Right To Be Born

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of Suicide, very heavy chapter, I’m so sorry. Chapter was supposed to be longer, but I liked this ending so yh. Sorry for any mistakes you may encounter, hope you enjoy!!

She stood bowing before carved stones as she reminisced of heroes long gone, her tears mixing with the rain and Sasuke can only watch through his own distorted vision as years of bottled up emotions come undone like a torrent, ready to tear her apart.

“....and if this is how betrayal feels like, I hope to never experience it again..” Her voice is watery as her body racks with heavy sobs. “So promise me Sasuke, that you won’t do something like that to me?” She turns to her only companion behind her, cerulean eyes filled with pain, desperation and a deep longing that it causes Sasuke to unwillingly flinch.

But he tugs at his resolve and stares back at her, his mind wondering if Naruto knew about their past life together, would she still cling to him with such desperation as she ties the knot between them? If she would still seek comfort in him after years of dragging her in his shadow, filling her with false hopes of being together and calling her his home? Because as forgiving as Naruto may be, surely there would be a limit to such kindness?

And as Sasuke stares at, _assess her,_ he thinks, that after a lifetime, it would be this Naruto who will be selfish in forgiving those who wronged her, selfish in those who she would consider hers and who she would give a piece of herself to. And Sasuke knows he would never dare fracture her heart that she woefully handed to him without so much as a second thought, entrusting him with her whole being , laying herself bare for him to take and mould into his perfect partner.

“For as long as I live.” Is his reply because never, for as long as he lives, he would ever endanger such bond between them and he would slay those who dared betray her when she has given them her all. Naruto was a diamond amongst jewels, and he would be a twice damned fool if he let himself as well as any man or woman dare sell her out for the safety of their own pitiful excuse they called their lives. He has already done that one too many times, and this was his time to level mountains to help build Naruto into become a Shinobi feared by many and he would accomplish it. Failure wouldn’t be tolerated as long as he drew breath. 

“Yeah.” She whispers out, hands wiping at her tears. “I’m glad you’re with me Sasuke.” She finishes off as she turns back to her parents headstones — finger dipping into her pocket as she pulls out a folded piece of paper, opening it up with trembling nimble fingers and Sasuke hears her breath hitch as her eyes furiously scan the now fully opened paper. He can’t see much from this distance but he’s no fool to think that whatever it contains is of no importance to her for her posture straightens as a hand comes up to furiously wipe away at the new fresh batch of tears. It’s without a doubt a picture of her deceased parents and Sasuke can’t help but let a small flitter across his face.

She finally knows who her parents are ten summers later, it much earlier this time round than it was in his original life and Sasuke’s glad she’s found some happiness in the early revelation that has been hidden from her. 

He had been surprised when she had come crying into his arms last night, words tumbling out of her mouth as she recounts the day incident of Kakashi telling her of heritage, of how Sarutobi had lied to her. And that had surprised him because for as long as Sasuke knew the man (however indirectly it may be) the man wasn’t one to lie about such things, but he had understood somewhat why he had.

But what surprised Sasuke more — was himself —for he had forgotten about such important information, one in which he wanted to tell her sometime after telling her about the Kyuubi, but alas, it had slipped his mind. But he’s glad she finally knows and was coming to terms that she was more than the hate filled words whispered by their villagers, more than being a Jinchuriki, _a human sacrifice._ She was Uzumaki Naruto, daughter of the Yondaime Hokage and Uzumaki Kushina, as well as the last living Legacy of the Uzumaki Clan. She was more than everyone thought her to be.

He’s brought out of his musing as sees Naruto get down to her knees, between both her parents graves — and not long after, she’s speaking in a voice that’s filled with so much longing and love. 

Not wanting to intrude on such an intimate and personal act, Sasuke steps away from his place near Naruto, distancing them and only catching the beginning of her sentence.

“It’s strange, how you can miss someone you’ve never met...” Naruto trails off, fingers ghosting over the crinkled and very much faded out picture of her deceased mother, trying to put a face to the many stories Ero-sennin had told her about the red haired woman with a fiery temper to rival that of a Biju, but all she could see were vague and very much distorted outlines of the woman. It sends a pang of hurt in her, knowing that this picture would be the only one she could use to reference her mother until Sarutobi deems her worthy of accessing her birthright— and that realisation hurts even more, but she pushes it aside, trying to block out the mans betrayal.   
  
“And you...” Naruto says, the words burning in her throat as she gazes up at her fathers face carved on the Hokage monument. “I’ve admired you for so long ya know, and still do. Saw you as my idol, wanting to surpass you as a Hokage....but I....” She trails off again, hands clenching at her side as nails dig into soft flesh, carving crescent moons in the process as blood dripped from the small cuts.

”It’s because of you I’ve suffered..and.. and I understand why you did what you did and I hate I do...but it doesn’t mean I can’t hate you for a little bit, just for a little while, and scream at you about how unfair it is that you made your daughter suffer even if you didn’t know this would be how it turned out. You put your trust in an old man and a bunch of ignorant villagers. And it makes me wonder if this how Okasan was treated as well? If this is how all Jinchuriki’s are treated? I’ve been told you were a genius, and I know it’s not your fault, but at least you could have made sure the old man didn’t tell everyone about Kurama being in me. It hurts..hurts so much...and..but...” Naruto chokes out as everything comes stumbling out of her — her woes laying bare in the suffocating silence that blanketed the Cemetery.

“They’d always whisper about how I was an abo..abomination, a monster ya know, staring at me with cold, hate filled eyes that followed my every movement. Over priced me for food, or would give me the rotten stuff or simply not let me in their shops, well except for Teuchi-San. He’s the best ya know?! And whenever I asked to play with the other children, their parents would pull them away from me, whisper cruel things to them about me and I never understood why but I always knew it wasn’t right the way they treated me, and it hurt so very much — it still does even when I have Sasuke and the rest of the Uchiha’s to play with me, but I’m not ungrateful for their company. But, it’d be nice to have other friends ya know?.”

She gives a shaky breath before carrying on.

“And you know what the saddest thing is Otou-san? I’d rather you alive and live as my parents child with the threat of being assassinated in the air instead of existing in a lonely world where everyone hates you just because their ignorance clouds their judgment.” And it’s the truth Naruto thinks, because then, she would have been loved and grown up knowing what a parents love meant. Wouldn’t have to second guess her existence thinking herself to be a demon that should be obliterated from the face of this earth. That she was nothing more than the little insects they trampled beneath their sandals for they were the lesser beings, and they the superior ones.

But that wasn’t the case though was it? It was nothing but a wishful dream that had been snatched out from existence the moment she’d taken her first breath of air, and Kurama being sealed into her — setting the foundation of a life full of pain and misery. And Naruto thinks it’s hard to see yourself living a life that isn’t filled with adolescent anguish. A life full of unadulterated pure happiness. It’s even harder when you’re only ten summers old and your foundation has been rocked to its core, weaving thin cracks into your already broken soul from years of abuse — years of neglect that it becomes a part of you, tailoring to you personally as the years pass by in order to root itself in the darkened abyss that has become your soul. And Naruto hates how pessimistic she sounds, but what can she do when it’s nothing but the truth?

And despite having Sasuke and his family, followed by Jiriaya and now Kakashi, Naruto thinks it too good to be true and it’s simply a figment of her imagination. Iruka sensei had always told her that she had always been a creative kid with a wild imagination— her pranks being one of many examples— but she dearly hopes it isn’t because these last two years have shown her the true difference in what it meant to _live_ and to simply _survive._ Showed her she was as much of a human as they were and she no spawn of a demon nor a reincarnation of one in human form — contrasting every vile insult spewn her way by the villagers. Her life, had essentially taken a leap of faith ever since befriending Sasuke, but now, one broken secret exposed had everything crashing down and Naruto was afraid that if she so much as blinked, everything would vanish out from existence and she’d find herself bloodied and battered behind a dumpster in the Red Light District. 

“They always told me how I never deserved to be born....made sure to always remind me that my existence wasn’t wanted, wasn’t needed .....and....and sometimes I believed them and thought if I...ya know, just offed myself I’d be doing everyone a favour. But then I met Sasuke and he...he was everything I wasn’t. He taught me a lot of things ya know. Changed me for the better and made me want to live. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me....and I’m glad....so glad that I never erased my existence from this world and I’m so happy that I was born.” It’s hard, Naruto thinks, speaking aloud about her her suicidal thoughts to legends long gone ( but it helps relieve the heavy weight on her chest that had only grew as the years passed by) because they won’t be able to reply and give her pitying looks or lecture her about the gift that is life. But as she spills the traitorous thoughts that had always accompanied her for as long as she could remember, Naruto feels happy and a feeling of contentment settles deep within her.

She’s so glad that she had never given into her inner demons and she’s even more grateful for Sasuke for stepping in when he did, because if it wasn’t for him, would she still be here? learning about her parents, taking to them? Would she have ever met him and his family, met Jiriaya and Kakashi? She’s never truly understood, back when she was younger, what living truly meant. But now? Now that she has people to call her own, people to love, she’s willing to live for them and because they _make her want_ to live. To spend her days tumbling and laughing with them as they hold hands towards an end that isn’t bitter and cold and a reflection of her withering and blackened soul.

“But it’s okay now. You don’t have to worry about me, or about meeting me years earlier than expected. I’m getting better and I’m stronger than before ya know? So I can take everything they say to me ‘cuz one day they’ll see me for me and that will also be the day my name reaches the heavens, and you’ll hear it and you won’t regret giving your life to me and the village...and...and I’ll be like you both, but better. And as long as I have Jiriaya, Sasuke, Kakashi and Kurama, everything will be alright. And..and because I know you guys loved me, everything everyone else says about me being not being wanted and you hating my existence was just a lie to break me that much further....so...so THANK YOU FOR LOVING ME!”   
  


-/


	13. Dirty Tactics And A Senju’s Resolve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A character study of Danzo, chronicalling his rise to power, or alternatively his fall from grace. Told in basic format, skimming through the years.

Her foundation was set in stone as a butterfly flapped its wings, the course of fate shifting as the wind changed directions. Shimura Danzo was the author of all the misfortune events that took place in Naruto's life within the village -constructing the performance, as though he was their God, writing each and every script to it's significant person, manipulating the stage.

But with her Uzumaki ancestry so dormant, its no surprise she’s only loyal to him, the only boy ( _man)_ who saved her from her own personal hell, thwarting all his plans to dust, tearing through them with the subtlety of a hurricane, leaving him to repair the broken shards of a plan long gone — and them none the wiser to it all.

_And Danzo should have known, that even the best laid out plans always go awry._

The Uchiha’s in their own right were powerhouses that had served Konoha well since it’s founding — their dōjutsu serving it’s clan well as it’s powers grew at the loss of their loved one — leading to Konoha to come out victorious in the war waged between villages, and despite the tragedy and pain that came with such accursed dōjutsu, Konoha only saw it as a means to an end, turning a blind eye to the suffering of one of their famed clan.

But much like his former teacher, Senju Tobirama, the man’s belief and fear of the Uchiha Clan had also festered itself within Danzo — soon twisting and warping itself into greed and lust in order to obtain the accursed eye and the power bestowed upon it.

Tobirama had always been intimate with the Uchiha on a level most couldn’t achieve, such as the feud between the Uchiha and Senju, which had lasted for years on end, but most importantly, years down the road, becoming fast friends with one Uchiha Kagami — learning the basics of the Sharingan and how it matured into the Mangekyō: _“In order to activate it, the user has to witness the death of someone important; usually the most important individual in their life, and only then, can it be awoken.”_

And it was months after Tobirama’s death did Danzo find out, and thus had set out the war hawk on a game of chess — Konoha’s citizens it’s pawn, protecting him the King as he galloped towards a path of power and prosperity, _or so he thought._

So Danzo had observed, and came Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui. Both geniuses in their own right, showing power and skill beyond their age as war danced upon their lanky frame, seducing them into its bloodshed and mindless killing as they awakened their sharingan — setting the chain reaction Danzo needed.

Soon after orchestrating the death of Uchiha Shisui’s best friend, leading to the young boy awakening his mankegyo, Danzo, with subtlety of master manipulator had weaved the strings of fate as he brought Uchiha Itachi and Shisui together, both becoming each other’s important person, and whilst that may have been true on Shisui’s behalf, Itachi was another story for the only person that was at his centre of gravitation was little Sasuke — denting a whole in Danzo’s plan, and he none the wiser.

The years passed and he had integrated the two boys into his sector of ANBU as a means of diminishing their naivety and goals of achieving peace via words and a sense of tranquility, mounding them into mindless weapons that would answer to his beck and call. And as Danzo worked behind the screen, laying out the foundation in awakening Itachi’s mangekyo by turning the cousins against each other and having Shisui cease to exist by his cousins hands and later collecting both set of eyes — it had turned out futile, for both boys were loyal to each other than he, as well as having their humanity still in tact.

Then came the supposed Uchiha Madara, weaving intricate plans of annihilating his own clan, using the Kyuubi as the setting stone of his plan, setting of a chain reaction, subtly asking the old war hawk to help eradicate his clan and Danzo saw an opening, one in which his conquest to power would be fulfilled.

Came days before the Kyuubi attack and plans were set in motions, one in which failure was not an option, Danzo had realised that the annihilation of the Uchiha Clan would mean Konoha’s man power would greatly diminish and with no Uzumaki Kushina to balance out the powerplay with her status as a Jinchuriki, the supposed Uchiha Madara would have to make do by himself as a one man crew until he formulated a new plan.

It was then, that Danzo had realised his original plan had gone awry — one in obtaining Itachi and Shisui’s matured eyes, later molding the Uchiha children in a same fashion via ROOT, but now as one plan fell out of existence, another one blossomed as Uzumaki Naruto became Konoha’s Jinchuriki.

She had become a diamond amongst jewels, with her Uzumaki blood and the Kyuubi's phenomenal powers, and it’s additional unknown abilities, the training regiment he would have set her on, Konoha’s man power would be back to its former glory, and then would Danzo set out to help Uchiha Madara into letting his clan become nothing but legends of a past long gone, only remembered in memories for some, and writings for the world to read about.

He had then laid out the foundation of her upbringing, manipulating the Hokage into his very palm as her status as a Jinchuriki was exposed to her villagers. His teammate, Sarutobi was a meek puppet to be used and discarded once his end came to a close.

Uzumaki Naruto would have been brought up a broken and bitter child who who would crave the tiniest of attention and acknowledgment. One in which he would use to his advantage, molding her into the perfect war machine unlike her mother who refused to call upon the demons chakra, but her daughter would not be a failure like her.

But like most plans, his had been thwarted. Uchiha Sasuke had neutralized all plans for the Jinchuriki and as the years passed, she had become an honorary Uchiha, leaving her mark into the family as she reduced all his plans in regards to the Uchiha clan to become nothing but rubble as the Massacre became somewhat successful. Which soon lead to the revelation of his involvement in the dispute between the clan and the villagers — of how he had lied to the clan to protect the civilians as the imposter Uchiha Madara controlled the Kyuubi, whilst he spread far and wide on how the Sharingan could control a tailed beat.

And it had worked to an extent, but at what consequence? Jiriaya the Sannin had started to visit the Village often, his relationship with the Jinchuriki blossoming, loosening whatever advantage he may have had on her. The Uchiha clan had been integrated back into the village and were no longer restricted to the Uchiha Police force. 

All he had as of now was Orochimaru and his genius mind along side Lord Firsts cells implanted in his arms. All plans of obtaining the power of combining Hashirama’s cells and the Sharingan would cease to exist in nothing but a fake reality conjured his mind, Danzo knows without a doubt, his end is near and that desperate situation calls for desperate measures. He hoped for the sake of Konoha, that his fall from grace would be as easy as his descent to power.

  
******

  
  


He never truly realised how socially inept he was — not that he had much time to really dwell on such frivolous aspect of his personality when he had been consumed in his hatred for Itachi and seeking to kill said man, and because he had no reason to see others as an extension of himself as well as willingly indulging himself in their unwelcome presence (unless they were Naruto) — and now he was reaping the consequences of such bigotry.

Sasuke had no concept on what it meant to be ‘friendly’ and portray himself as someone that wasn’t dangerous and was simply doing what he was doing as an act of kindness, but it proved harder than possible, but yet Sasuke didn’t truly care. It was a matter of time and bending it to his advantage and wasting time in trying to convey himself as an innocent Konoha citizens who needed her expertise would get him no where and his blunt and straightforward attitude would have to make do as he impersonated another.  


This situation was lead by the realisation — months before his graduation — that he hadn’t dented the timeline as much as he would have liked since the Semi Massacre — and with Danzo’s frequent appearance around Naruto and the Uchiha District, Sasuke had feared the worse since his ‘reincarnation’, he had reduced Danzo’s plans to ashes.

And as he had retraced the events of his previous timeline, Sasuke realised that tragedy would strike Konoha within the year id Orochimaru still invaded Konoha with the Sand village, taking many lives with him with Sarutobi’s being the most remembered, leading to a two month period of recruiting Tsunade. And it was then that Sasuke realised that if he was able to get Tsuande back in Konoha earlier to take up the mantle of Godaime Hokage, it would open a semblance of a chance in Sarutobi surviving if Orochimaru still attacked Konoha — as well as having Danzo executed for treason. Sasuke knows Tsuande is his best bet at further bettering the Uchiha name, and despite not liking the Senju, Tsunade was firm when it came to morality and not biased much like Sarutobi, and whilst the man had tried to press charges against Danzo, Sasuke could tell from the man’s eyes that taking action against his former teammate was something he couldn’t truly bring himself to do so. 

Thus leading Sasuke to his current situation as he walked the streets of the Land of rice, henged into Jiriaya. 

It had taken Sasuke weeks to pinpoint Tsunade’s whereabout, and Sasuke thanked God that the woman was in one the villagers in the Land of Fire, making his planning rather simple but efficient as he set out on his endeavor in bringing back the wayward Senju.

Mere minutes later, Sasuke found himself outside the only casino within the village, and he prowled the inside, it wasn’t hard to spot the blond lady and her raven haired companion and ninja pig.

"Hello, Tsunade." Sasuke as Jiraiya greeted somewhat jovially(despite it sounding strained to his own ears) taking the seat opposite her. The woman in return simply glared, kissing her teeth at him.

"What the fuck do you want, Jiraiya?" Tsunade asked, voice filled with venom as she took a swig at her beer bottle. "I thought I told you I wasn't interested in Konoha's affairs. That's why you're here, isn't it?

“"I'd like to talk to you and I'd rather discuss everything in private.” 

“I’d rather we not. I’m not interested in anything that has to do with Konoha. You can make yourself scarce Jiriaya.” Sasuke let out an annoyed sigh, and before he could snap a retort at the woman, her raven haired companion spoke up, in hopes of diffusing the tension between the two.

”It wouldn’t hurt to catch up on the missed years Tsunade-sama. And whatever Jiriaya-sama may have to say , it may be of some importance to us?.” 

The breaking of glass was enough to have the raven haired woman let out squeak as she removed the ninja pig from harm. Swiveling violently, Tsunade faced both of her companions, hatred burning the depths of her liquid brown eyes: “"I told you before, many times in the past twenty years or so, that I will not be changing my mind. I will _not_ come back to Konoha. So you can tell our old sensei to go fu—"

”You’ve given up, and now have become nothing but a coward Tsuande.” The words left his mouth long before he could register the consequences of it, but Sasuke didn’t care. 

“Excuse me?” 

“War will be upon Konoha soon and lives will be lost. Danzo and Orochimaru plan to send Konoha to its death, yet you waste away your life by drinking day in and night when you could be out there, helping those who will be caught in crossfire, helping those who are and will be suffering — and when it comes, will you take the blame for the lives lost when you still had the chance to save them? I came here today to ask you to come back to Konoha for the simple reasoning that I believed that you wouldn’t want others to suffer as you did, mending them to the best of your abilities, but you have proven me wrong. You’re nothing but a self-centered coward, who cares nothing for the village that helped her become the best medic she is today.” 

Tsunade scoffed, anger prominent in her body as she stared at Jiriaya, finger pointed aggressively at him; “The difference between me and a coward, is that I chose to pick my battles instead of running away from them. So don’t you dare call me a coward when you know nothing of pain and suffering. I’ve suffered more in that village than anyone else has ever, and you expect me to go back to a village that’s become meaningless to me!”

”Tsunade-sama...”

Sasuke’s frame shock with anger, fist smashing down on the table, consequently breaking it in half, killing intent rolling off him in waves, suffocating those in his perimeter.

”Do not lie with such ease woman. Everyone has suffered in their own right. There are people who have suffered more than you and I combined, you who only failed to save two lives and I who failed to save my teammate and student — but there are others who witness the slaughter of their clan, or grow up as an orphan, being hated by their village because of their status as a Jinchuriki, or those who are kidnapped from young and turned into mindless machines. Tell me Tsunade, who has it worse? So don’t you dare pity yourself when others have lived a harder life than you could ever bare to think.”   
  
Tsuande could only stare with tear filled eyes as Jiriaya stormed his way out of the casino — leaving her to drown in his heat filled words.

-/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so butchered beyond belief and is terribly sloppy, but then again, I never planned this story out and was simply a spur in the moment thing, so Eh, sorry for any mistakes you may have encountered, hope you enjoyed it.


	14. A Little Change Goes A Long Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of lost interest in this story, but not totally😅

A broken promise, an empty vow, nothing but simple words said in the heat of grief, chanted like ritual but Tsunade....

_”There’s no honour in being a Shinobi, but once you claim the title of a medic-nin, there’s honour in that.”_

Those words had been her lifeline, her treasure through her years of self study, hard work and sleepless nights, but what did they mean to her now when she couldn’t save them? 

_“Remember the things that you still have!”  
_

Even through time and space, life and death, Dan’s wisdom rings ever so loudly in Tsuande’s ears as she watches Jiriaya’s imposter leave.

_”As long as you are a medic-nin, others will always rely on you Tsuna. So don’t turn your back on others because you couldn’t save me and Nawaki.”_

Jagged and distorted fragments of a past worth many life lessons flicker into existence—

 _“It's going to hurt,”_ Dan had told her during his last moments on Earth, when his years of hero complex on battle grounds were finally catching up to him, when his minutes were growing ever so shorter. _“But as long as you live, don’t wallow in grief, because if you do, who’s going to save them when all hopes lost?.”_

She couldn’t forget, not now, not ever, not when he —

“ _So p_ _romise me that you won’t give up.”_

Those words would alway sound like the dull roar of the ocean to her, always familiar like a silent companion, continuing to remind her that she wasn’t the only one suffering and there were others out there, facing a fate worse than hers.

It’s a reminder, one she had forgotten but had been brought back with the force of a hurricane because one brat hadn’t sanitized their hand before plunging into an already infected wound, tearing, stretching, damaging it further until she took action and lived up to her promise and her honour as a medic-nin.

_”I won’t fail another life....”_

And because those words, even with her past written and completed, and her future still needing to be dictated, she’s a medic before she’s anything else. She’s alive with many tomorrow’s awaiting for her, and that means she has time — time to save many, many lives in the aftermath that would shed the blood of innocents who longed to live another day longer. 

“I guess you will be returning back to Konoha with me then Tsunade?” Jiriaya’s voice speaks from the booth behind.

She snorts in response, because Tsunade knows she doesn’t have a choice, not really because a little, stupid, foolish but yet utterly brave child had laid her answer bare for her, slapping her into reality _— one she had denied since her loss, indulging herself in the comfort of alcohol as it withered her liver into nothing but a blackened abyss —_ having dissected and unraveled her past much like Orochimaru did to her Grandfather's body.

And Tsunade finds it unsettling — _that a child knows of her past and knowing Orochimaru had stolen the First Hokage’s body from his grave, (Jiriaya had been thorough about Konoha’s affair)_ — but she doesn’t _exactly_ mind the little brat knowing of her past when he had used it against her, to set her straight... but it didn’t excuse the fact she had been put in her place by a mere child who seemed to have a very intimate experience of endless pain and sufferings, who’s voice wavered and thickened with unshed tears as he spoke about Konoha’s Jinchuriki, who’s fingernails dug into his skin, hands shaking in anger as he talked about _his_ clan being slaughtered (no matter how indirect the claim maybe), how he spoke with such conviction of the chaos that would ensure with having Danzo continue his schemes and the lives that could be saved with having her take the reigns of Konoha’s hospital.

And with that thought, Tsunade wonders, that if she hadn’t abandoned the village her grandfather had built from its soil, that maybe Konoha wouldn’t have exactly become a breeding ground for monsters, because maybe then, she would have been able to spot the signs that lead her teammate down a path full of power and destruction, spot the signs of Danzo causing hurricanes and tsunamis as he plunged Konoha into an era were civil war would have broken out — and in that aftermath, how many people would she have she able to save from Orochimaru’s experiments and Danzo’s breeding ground for human tools? How many families would still have their children that had been plucked from their grasp and into the _loving care_ of monsters far worse than a rampaging Bijuu?

The answer is as clear as her cowardice, but dwelling on the what if’s of a past she could not change wouldn’t do her any good except simply learning from it, righting her wrongs and passing on her knowledge as an act of repentance for all the lives she could have saved.

”As if that brat gave me much of a choice. Poking his nose into affairs a little kid like himself shouldn’t know about.” Tsunade scoffs, and Jiriaya simply chuckles at her reply.

”Despite his half baked plan, it got you to change your mind, and that’s all that matters really.”

“And how he knows about who the Jinchuriki is or how he seems to know about Danzo and Orochimaru’s manipulation is of no concern?”

“No, not really. He’s always known such trivial things.” Jiriaya muses, amusement lacing his voice as fingers drum against his beer bottle. “But it helps, knowing that he’s doing all of this to help protect my goddaughter.”

”So you used him to get to me? Told him of my past once you found out he knew about Danzo and Orochimaru and what other bullshit Konoha got itself into.” Tsunade hissed in anger, fist slamming into the already broken table.

”It’s the other way round.” He simply says, brushing off her accusation. “He seems to have a knack for using my goddaughter to pass me information regarding Danzo, thinking himself to be subtle. But him impersonating me? It was all his doing.” 

“You’re insufferable you know that you damned Pervert.” Tsunade huffed out, rubbing at her temples to reduce the telltale sign of a migraine.

”A super pervert hime, don’t forget to add the super.” Jiriaya replied cheekily, grinning lecherously at her bosoms.   
  


-/


	15. The Laments Of An Old Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had a writers block and this chapter broke through. Not the best, but it makes do. Set when Naruto visits her parents grave and Hiruzen sees all.

He wondered were he had gone wrong, wondered when everything had started to deteriorate with each step taken towards the future. When every decision he made reaped more consequences than he could sow. Wondered how everything deviated.

But Hiruzen knows _when_ it all began, _where_ it all began, _how_ it all began, _why_ it all began and _who_ it all began with.

Hiruzen remembers a time when he was on the cusp of adulthood, still a teen with dreams that sat on the tips of his fingertips, searching and devouring knowledge and still so oblivious to world around him. Remembers how _naive, eager, desperate_ he was to see the good in everyone, always turning a blind eye, believing that every mistake repeated was simply just that, _a mistake_ and that people would _grow._

And that’s were it all deviated. He had always known that Danzo damned any consequence to get what he desired. Whether the path he chose was good or bad, he cared not as long as it was effective and done efficiently. He had seen it during their genin days, during missions and outside of missions.

Yet Hiruzen had done nothing, _wanting_ to believe in Danzo because they were teammates, and Konoha valued the significance of teammates. Teammates were families, meaning Danzo was family so Hiruzen was willing to forgive him time and time again. Letting Danzo be as he carried on towards a path full of power and destruction.

And the brutality continued as Konoha was plunged into war and Danzo outshone everyone on the battlefield. Commanding attention and sacrificing the weak and there was no Tobirama to put Danzo in place and Hiruzen was a coward — still is— and had let war hawk risk their weaker ninjas as he plowed through enemy forces. Forgave Danzo for the sacrifice of their fellow comrades and continued fighting his own battle.

Then Tobirama makes him Hokage and Hiruzen knows the sheer jealousy and silent killing intent thrown his way by Danzo had been the true turning point and redemption would be just another word.

What followed in the years to come had dug Konoha into an early grave, but Hiruzen — _trusting, believing, naive —_ entrusted himself with Danzo’s help in bringing Konoha to its former glory and with Danzo moving up their hierarchy, power fell into his outstretched, awaiting arms. And whilst Danzo had improved Konoha with the years following by, innocents had suffered and when complaints came through of children being overworked and suffering from exhaustion, Hiruzen had batted it away, laying the blame on the academy curriculum and the need to breed stronger soldiers.

And that had been the start of his failures.

The years continued to pass yet again, and new organization was founded by Danzo and approved by Hiruzen. And whilst Hiruzen knew there was a deeper, and a more significant meaning behind Root, he had laid his trust bare to Danzo, believing that if given that much more power that Danzo would cease his path of destruction and power and be content with what he has, and in the end, it had fueled the greed in the war hawk, and Hiruzen continued to turn a blind eye.

That was his second failure, and it was to his nation but Hiruzen didn’t think it to be of lasting consequences but it had.

Came the time to chose his successor, and Minato — _bright, intelligent, cunning, eager —_ everything Hiruzen wasn’t, was given the mantle of Hokage and Orochimaru defected and that had been his third failure.

He had known about Orochimaru and his late night activities and ties with Danzo, but Hiruzen — _trusting, believing, naive —_ refused to believe that his student would commit such despicable crime but the evidence suffocated the lab, taunting him of his failures, and Hiruzen could only do what he always did.

_He turned a blind eye and pretended to not know, to not see._

With Minato in charge, ROOT was disbanded and Danzo knocked down a peg, but with every good leadership, tragedy is always there to strike and Minato dies and seals the Kyuubi into his newborn baby and Hiruzen takes the mantle again and Danzo schemes.

And Konoha falls and Hiruzen pretends, and pretends, and pretends, and pretends until he no longer can.

They called him ‘The Professor’, a genius, but what they did not know was that he was a coward hiding behind titles, letting them all walk to an early grave, letting innocents suffer the consequences of a madman with an insatiable thirst for power. 

And nearly a decade passes and all decisions made in the past comes back to haunt him and Hiruzen tries to pretend, tries to turn a blind eye, but everything collapses on the night of the Uchiha Massacre and the lights shine upon Danzo and he, their sins sitting ablaze on their shoulders as truths are revealed.

_In the end, the truth prevails, even when hidden in the darkest corners of the world._

Truths he pretended never existed and Hiruzen weeps as Jiriaya unravels the evidence shrouded by years of rubble and dirt and Hiruzen knows he can no longer pretend, knows he can no longer be the Hiruzen that was _trusting, believing, naive,_ because his sins lay bare in the suffocating silence of his office as he looks through his crystal ball and sees one of his biggest failures since his leadership — the orange clad girl bowing before carved stones, tears streaming down her face as she talks to parents she is not supposed to know off.

And it’s seeing the little girl who he promised to protect weep for parents long dead that Hiruzen knows that it wasn’t the first time he failed a child, isn’t the first time he failed a Nation, but it was mostly certainly the last time he would be failing Konoha and it’s citizen. He had much to do before he could end his reign and it started with detaining Danzo and apologising for all his misgivings, and then, only then, would he pass the ropes down to his next successor, _hopefully Tsunade._

-/


End file.
